Agrivoltaic, also known as agrisolar or dual-use solar, is the practice of utilising the same land for both farming and solar power generation. The agrivoltaic definition refers to combining agricultural activity with solar for agriculture technology by installing solar panels for agriculture above or between crops, or on grazing land. This allows food production and clean energy to happen side by side.
This approach maximizes land use, helps protect crops by providing shade, and supports farmers by creating new income sources. First introduced in the 1980s, agrivoltaic is gaining popularity worldwide as a smart way to grow food and generate renewable energy together.
The electricity demand in Nepal is increasing due to population and economic growth. To meet the increased demand, it is important to use cleaner fuels supporting global decarbonisation efforts and clean energy transition. One way is through the increased use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy.
Nepal is blessed with significant solar resources. However, the scale of this resource has not been adequately and properly assessed. The studies found that Nepal has significant solar PV potential, with the ability to generate up to 552 TWh/year from ground-mounted, rooftop, and agrivoltaics, against a current demand of 12.3 TWh.
Of the three types of technologies for electricity from Solar resources studies, agrivoltaics appears to have a significant potential for producing clean electricity in rural areas with affecting minimum to the agricultural production. Thus recommendations for agrivoltaic have been made to achieve net-zero emission targets.
Moreover, Nepal’s policy framework should prioritize deployment of solar PV: ground-mounted PV for utility scale, rooftop PV for urban areas and agrivoltaic for rural areas. Robust Power Purchase Agreement rates and enabling policies could boost investment and accelerate the solar PV adoption. Finally, the methodology and the results presented can serve as a useful reference for undertaking similar studies in other countries.
It is realised that the Government of Nepal (GoN) has been supporting the promotion and development of Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs).
Until the start of the 13th Plan (2013-2016), the use of solar energy for irrigation and drinking water was limited to hilly and remote areas. The 13th Plan incorporated ideas for solar energy for irrigation in the Terai. In the 2018-19 budget, the central government allocated NPR 350 million (~USD 3.5 million) as grants for SIPs and pledged additional support to renewable energy production if initiated by cooperatives and local communities in collaboration with the local government.
The 14th Plan also initiated a subsidy for solar drinking water and irrigation systems at the individual, community, and institutional (i.e., private sector) levels. The AEPC—our main partner in SoLAR project, is the main institution responsible for the implementation of the Renewable Energy Subsidy Policy, 2016.
In addition to the AEPC, a number of government organizations are working to promote and implement SIP projects in Nepal. The majority of solar projects have been implemented in provinces 2, 3, and 4. The private sector plays a very important role in Nepal, given that the subsidy delivery modality is driven by the private sector.
In this context, a case study report can be taken as matter to refer for Agrivoltaic to promote widely in the rural areas as well. In Nepal, UNDP has supported the piloting of an innovative Agrovoltaic farming system, bringing clean drinking water, reliable electricity, irrigation, and enhanced healthcare facilities to residents in the small village of Tinghare. This state-of-the-art solution combines solar energy with agriculture to tackle interlinked issues of water, energy, and food security.
A few years ago, life in Tinghare, a village in Southern Nepal’s Sarlahi district, was a constant struggle. Residents endured a severe drinking water crisis, frequent power outages, and recurring crop failures due to prolonged droughts. Despite being located near a major highway, Tinghare’s proximity offered little relief.
Students, unable to access reliable electricity, missed opportunities for computer and digital literacy classes, while contaminated water jeopardized the health of the community. Agriculture, the primary livelihood for most villagers, suffered due to unreliable irrigation and soil degradation. Resolving these challenges required innovative solutions and significant resources—resources that neither the community nor the local government, could afford.
“The situation was so hopeless that many locals were considering out-migration,” said Ganesh Thapa, Chief, Ward No. 16 Lalbandi Municipality and Chairperson of Tinghare Ekikrit Gramin Bikas Khanepani Upabhokta Samiti.
Amid worsening conditions, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) stepped in to offer critical support. Following comprehensive on-site assessments and consultations with technical and development experts, UNDP Nepal implemented a pilot solar power based integrated drinking water and agrovoltaic farming system – cultivation under the solar arrays for the first time in Nepal.
The project, centers around a 40-kilowatt (peak) solar power plant, powers an integrated system designed to uplift livelihoods. Solar energy is used to operate a pump to lift water to overhead tank and water filter system that supplies drinking water to over 450 households, and support an irrigation network, all while generating electricity for local facilities such as school education and birthing center.
The agrovoltaic system has become the backbone of Tinghare’s revitalization. Solar-powered pumps now draw water from a sump well to reservoirs and overhead tanks. The system is even designed to disperse fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides. Beneath the 74 solar panels installed near the well, once-abandoned farmland is flourishing with seasonal vegetables, fruits, and flowers.
The initiative, launched in November 2022 and completed by March 2023, was a collaborative effort involving Lalbandi Municipality, the Alternative Energy Promotion Center and UNDP with financial support of the Government of Japan. Villagers contributed labour as part of their 10 percent share of the project’s cost, demonstrating their commitment to the transformative endeavour. (UNDP and other reports)
Dual harvest – Solar electricity and agriculture at a developed level in a developed country
