The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) has given its approval to install grid-connected solar-powered tube well pumps in the state. This approval was given in response to a petition filed by Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (UHBVNL) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN). The pilot project involves the installation of 468 solar pumps totalling a cumulative capacity of around 2.9 MW. The projects are expected to be installed at 11 kV agricultural feeders at Biana in Karnal district and Marupur in Yamunanagar district. The pumps will be installed under the CAPEX model and is expected to receive a subsidy under the KUSUM programme.
The solarisation of pumps will help farmers and the agricultural sector in several ways. First, it will help farmers reduce their dependence on conventional sources of energy supplied by discoms. Second, it will provide an additional source of income to farmers who will be in a position to sell the surplus power to discoms. Finally, it will help discoms reduce their burden of subsidy on the consumption of electricity in the agricultural sector and thus improve profitability. In addition, the use of solar pumps will help in ensuring the provision of uninterrupted electricity supply during the daytime, leading to more efficient farming. And the reduced use of diesel pumps will clearly have a positive impact on the environment.
Read more about the policies related to solar pumps here:
https://renewablewatch.in/2019/04/23/driving-uptake/
On February 19, 2019, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the prime minister approved the Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM), over a year after it was announced in the Union Budget 2018-19. Broadly, the KUSUM scheme is aimed at promoting the use of solar energy in the agricultural sector. This will be done through the extensive solarisation of existing pumps, installation of new solar pumps and grid-connected ground-mounted solar power plants. The primary objective of KUSUM is to encourage farmers to utilise advanced technology to generate power. The scheme will not only ensure that the farms are irrigated with sustainable technology, but will also allow farmers to generate and sell green power to discoms to earn extra revenue. According to the KUSUM website, the scheme will end in 2021.
Read more about the KUSUM programme here: