India has announced plans to use the advantages of solar energy to replace up to 26 million fossil fuel-powered groundwater pumps. These pumps, which are used to transfer water to fields for irrigation, rely on diesel fuel that creates a significant impact on the economy. The announcement is welcome news for those worried about the environmental impact of fossil fuel usage in this heavily populated country.
When completed, the switch to solar power could make irrigation the largest application for solar power in the country. Efforts are currently underway to switch out 8 million pumps, with an additional 70,000 potential replacements every year. The diesel-powered pumps are used by the nation’s farmers to pull water to their fields. Currently, the pumps operate on the Indian power grid, making them a large drain on the nation’s natural resources.
The government program will subsidize up to 86 percent of the cost for the replacement pumps. Once installed, farmers will pay less for the energy used to irrigate their fields, which means that the remainder of the cost of each pump replacement will pay for itself in short order.
India’s plan isn’t just about saving the farmers money. The nation has a population of 1.2 billion people, and the national power grid isn’t equipped to provide power to all residents. In a nation where rolling blackouts are common, and the water pumps are only accessible for about 4 hours a day, the switch to solar power will allow more people to access the national grid. Farmers will get more efficiency out of their pumps, which can improve the agriculture industry. The advantages of solar energy for the farming industry have far-reaching potential, and could improve the lives of all Indian citizens.