A workshop and site demonstration on advanced solar-powered irrigation technology was organised in Kharian village of Sirsa district on Tuesday, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for modernising agriculture and promoting solar-based irrigation over diesel-run systems.
The programme, titled ‘Pathways for the Use of Additional Solar Irrigation Pump Energy’, was led by an expert team from Birmingham City University. The team included professors Cham Atwal, Florind Guenet, Shashank and Navjot Sandhu.
The initiative was carried out in collaboration with Professor YP Verma of Panjab University, Dr Sandeep from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University and Dr Rajender Kumar of Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology.
As part of the project, advanced smart sensors and an automated universal controller were successfully installed on a solar irrigation pump system at the farm of progressive farmer Dayanand Jhajharia.
The demonstration aimed to educate farmers about shifting from diesel and conventional grid electricity to sustainable solar energy for irrigation and farm operations.
The newly installed smart sensors continuously monitor ambient temperature, rainfall levels, solar panel temperature and hourly water usage, enabling precise management of water and energy resources. The system also tracks the energy generated by solar panels and the amount consumed by irrigation pumps and household appliances.
Using cloud-based processing, the technology provides real-time information related to solar radiation, energy generation and water conservation.
Experts said the project also addresses the issue of solar pumps remaining unused for over 150 days annually. The automated controller diverts surplus solar energy for productive activities such as operating flour mills, fodder-cutting machines, EV charging units and household appliances.
They said this dual-purpose approach can significantly reduce dependence on the national power grid and lower the burden of agricultural electricity subsidies, while helping transform farms into self-reliant energy hubs.
Around 65 local farmers and women entrepreneurs attended the workshop and interactive session.
During the discussion, experts highlighted the practical benefits of the technology, particularly for women engaged in agriculture, who form a major part of India’s farm workforce. They said the system can simplify labour-intensive irrigation work and create new income opportunities through agro-processing activities.
