Evaluation of Agrivoltaic System in Thar Desert of India

The present study examined the performance of the 100 kWp agri-voltaic systems at ICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur. The average PV generation from the 100 kWp AVS connected to the grid via a bi-directional energy meter or net meter was about 342 kWh day-1. The average yields of mung bean, moth bean, and cluster bean in the inter-row spaces between the modules in the two-row and three-row PV array were 1155, 670, and 2008 kg.ha-1, respectively. Thus, there were 4.6%, 8.6%, and 11.8% reductions in the yield of mung bean, moth bean, and cluster bean, respectively, in inter-row spaces between the panels compared to control. During Rabi (irrigated) 2021-22, the yield of chickpea, cumin, and isabgol (2490, 1000, and 700 kg ha-1, respectively) in interspaces of the AVS was lower than that of the control (2670, 1120, and 760 kg ha-1, respectively). AVS resulted in a yield reduction of 6.6, 10.3, and 7.8% in chickpea, cumin, and isabgol, respectively, compared to the control. The AVS shows the maximum IRR (20.38%), while PV-GM shows the lowest (19.42%) at the prevailing bank loan interest rate of 12%. The PBP estimated 7.47 years for AVS with irrigated crops and 8.11 years for AVS with rainfed crops, while it was 8.61 years for PV-GM. The lower value of the discounted PBP, the faster the repayment of the investment cost. Therefore, the highest LCOE (INR 3.45 kWh-1) is estimated based on the break-even electricity tariff in PV-GM, and the lowest LCOE is calculated in AVS (INR 3.17 kWh-1).