Sunkind India Limited founder and managing director Hanish Gupta
Integrated solar power solutions provider Sunkind India Limited is in talks with farmers and developers to set up agrivoltaic projects in three States, its founder and managing director (MD), Hanish Gupta, said. “Current agrivoltaic projects and discussions are concentrated in Rajasthan, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh with the company supplying structures and seeking full project partnerships,” he told businessline in an online interaction.Till now , engagements have been mainly supply of structures rather than direct farmer deals. The ongoing talks with farmers and developers are for complete project execution, he said.Agrivoltaics benefits“Currently, projects with farmers are in discussion but not fully closed,” said the founder and MD of the Gurugram-based company.The benefit of agrivoltaics is that solar panels are installed over crops to generate clean energy, reduce water use, improve microclimate and provide farmers income via electricity sales or land lease. Agrivoltaic systems enable dual land use and and sustain crop growth under panels. “Agriculture is evolving from energy consumer to energy producer, providing farmers with new income streams through solar energy integration,” said Gupta. The cooler microclimate under solar panels benefits crops. Water used for washing solar panels is reused for irrigation, reducing input costs.More awareness needed“Farmers can earn income by leasing land, investing in solar plants, or using government schemes like PM Kusum that provide fixed, long-term payments,” he said. However, more awareness and trust-building is needed to shift from structure supply to full projects. This results in predictable income streams independent of agricultural market volatility. The PM Kusum scheme reduces diesel dependency and unreliable grid power, lowering farm input costs, the company’s founder and MD said.Engaging farmers requires building trust around income guarantees and managing operational complexities associated with new solar-agriculture models. “Effective farmer education and clear benefit communication are critical,” he said.Stating that farmer participation in solar energy generation is promising but faces some obstacles, he said the biggest opportunity lies in farmers owning land and accessing PM Kusum’s fixed income scheme for 25-30 years . “This offers long-term financial security beyond traditional farming risks, he said. Manufacturing unit coming up in JaipurFounded in 2019, Sunkind India Ltd operates EPC and solar manufacturing for commercial and industrial projects across multiple Indian states. It was set up with a 1 GW solar module manufacturing line, primarily for in-house projects. Its operations span across Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Punjab. The company manufactures module mounting structures and recently started assembling solar panels. Currently, the company is coming up with a manufacturing facility at the Mahindra World City in Jaipur. The company is executing 300 MW projects and commissioned 200 MW last year. It is targeting 100 MW developer capacity this year across capital expenditure and operational expenditure models.Published on August 11, 2026
