“India’s Solar Energy Revolution Reflects PM Modi’s Vision,” Says UP Urban Development and Energy Minister A.K. Sharma

New Delhi/Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Energy and Additional Energy Sources Minister A.K. Sharma presented the state’s renewable energy roadmap at the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, highlighting plans to expand clean energy without compromising agricultural land.

He said agrivoltaics—growing crops beneath elevated solar panels—could help farmers become both annadatas and urjadatas, strengthening food and energy security while creating rural employment.

With nearly three crore farmers, UP is promoting agrivoltaics to boost agricultural and solar energy production. The state is India’s first to receive ADB technical assistance for agrivoltaics, with a 100 kW pilot project in Varanasi moving towards implementation alongside its 22 GW solar capacity target.

Crediting PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath for advancing renewable energy, he said around nine lakh households have installed 3,018 MW of rooftop solar under PM Surya Ghar. Under PM-KUSUM, 8,896 agricultural pumps have been solarised, while 3,098 MW of utility-scale solar projects are operational and another 6,295 MW are under implementation.

UP has 42 compressed biogas (CBG) plants with a combined capacity of 353 tonnes per day, while green hydrogen pilot plants in Gorakhpur and Rampur produce 31.5 kg per hour.

The state is offering incentives to attract global investors, including land at ₹15,000 per acre annually, stamp duty exemptions and capital subsidies for green hydrogen and CBG projects. With agrivoltaics, solar power, bioenergy and green hydrogen at the core of its clean energy strategy, Uttar Pradesh aims to achieve 32 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and 150 GW by 2047.