Mohammad Faiz Alam, Deepak Varshney, Paul Pavelic, Alok Sikka, Sunderrajan Krishnan, and Meru Dodiya.
Do grid-connected solar irrigation pumps help promote groundwater sustainability?: Evidence from India
Published July 2026 • © 2026 The Author(s).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277242712600118X?via%3Dihub
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Abstract
India’s water-energy nexus is complex, with two-thirds of irrigation dependent on groundwater and ∼75% of 23 million pumps being electric. Subsidized electricity has driven groundwater over-abstraction, while solar irrigation, though promising, risks exacerbating unsustainable pumping due to near-zero costs. Grid-connected solar pumps offer a solution by enabling farmers to sell surplus energy to the grid, incentivizing sustainable water and energy use. This study assesses the impact of grid-connected solar irrigation on farmers’ pumping behaviour in Gujarat, India using empirical data from ∼220–240 farmers across two seasons in districts with contrasting aquifers: hard rock (Botad) and alluvial (Anand). Results show irrigation water use in Anand (1753–1961 mm) is 3–4 times higher than in Botad (450–546 mm). In Botad, where shallow aquifers and prevailing cropping pattern and irrigation practices constrain groundwater availability and its use, no significant differences were found between solar and non-solar farmers, as water not energy is the primary constraint. Conversely, in Anand’s alluvial aquifers, significant reductions in water use (-608.45 mm in 2021–2022; -556.13 mm in 2022–2023) suggest grid connected solar pumps can influence groundwater conservation through the opportunity cost of energy exports. This reduction may partly reflect shifts in local water markets in Anand, where sellers balance energy exports with water sales, and buyers adapt through efficient irrigation or adjusted irrigation hours in response to higher water prices. The reduction in water use highlights the scheme’s potential to incentivise groundwater conservation, demonstrates the scheme’s potential as a groundwater management tool in alluvial aquifer settings with sufficient groundwater availability, while highlighting that its conservation impact is highly context-specific. These findings underscore the need to align solar irrigation policies and tariff designs with local hydrogeology to enhance groundwater sustainability and socio-economic benefits.
