Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh
Groundwater irrigation underpins South Asian agriculture but is increasingly unsustainable. Solar irrigation pumps (SIPs) are promoted to cut carbon emissions and subsidy costs, yet concerns persist about over-extraction. This study, under the SDC-supported SoLAR project, assesses two models: fee-fo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Brief |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
International Water Management Institute
2025
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176500 |
| _version_ | 1855519802805714944 |
|---|---|
| author | Alam, Mohammad Faiz Varshney, Deepak Mitra, Archisman Pavelic, Paul Mahapatra, Smaranika Habib, A. Krishnan, S. Sikka, Alok Ravindranath, Darshini |
| author_browse | Alam, Mohammad Faiz Habib, A. Krishnan, S. Mahapatra, Smaranika Mitra, Archisman Pavelic, Paul Ravindranath, Darshini Sikka, Alok Varshney, Deepak |
| author_facet | Alam, Mohammad Faiz Varshney, Deepak Mitra, Archisman Pavelic, Paul Mahapatra, Smaranika Habib, A. Krishnan, S. Sikka, Alok Ravindranath, Darshini |
| author_sort | Alam, Mohammad Faiz |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Groundwater irrigation underpins South Asian agriculture but is increasingly unsustainable. Solar irrigation pumps (SIPs) are promoted to cut carbon emissions and subsidy costs, yet concerns persist about over-extraction. This study, under the SDC-supported SoLAR project, assesses two models: fee-for-service SIPs in Bangladesh and grid-connected SIPs in India. Results show no significant rise in groundwater use with solar adoption in these two models. In Bangladesh, operator-managed SIPs kept use in check despite cheaper costs, though some shift toward Boro paddy was noted. In India, grid-connected SIPs with feed-in incentives reduced water use in alluvial aquifers, while hard-rock systems showed little change. The findings highlight that groundwater impacts are context-specific, with well-designed solar models offering low-carbon irrigation without major sustainability risks. |
| format | Brief |
| id | CGSpace176500 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | International Water Management Institute |
| publisherStr | International Water Management Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1765002025-11-07T07:57:43Z Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh Alam, Mohammad Faiz Varshney, Deepak Mitra, Archisman Pavelic, Paul Mahapatra, Smaranika Habib, A. Krishnan, S. Sikka, Alok Ravindranath, Darshini solar powered irrigation systems groundwater management sustainability pumps water use Groundwater irrigation underpins South Asian agriculture but is increasingly unsustainable. Solar irrigation pumps (SIPs) are promoted to cut carbon emissions and subsidy costs, yet concerns persist about over-extraction. This study, under the SDC-supported SoLAR project, assesses two models: fee-for-service SIPs in Bangladesh and grid-connected SIPs in India. Results show no significant rise in groundwater use with solar adoption in these two models. In Bangladesh, operator-managed SIPs kept use in check despite cheaper costs, though some shift toward Boro paddy was noted. In India, grid-connected SIPs with feed-in incentives reduced water use in alluvial aquifers, while hard-rock systems showed little change. The findings highlight that groundwater impacts are context-specific, with well-designed solar models offering low-carbon irrigation without major sustainability risks. 2025-09-16 2025-09-16T08:01:08Z 2025-09-16T08:01:08Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176500 en Open Access application/pdf International Water Management Institute Alam, M. F.; Varshney, D.; Mitra, A.; Pavelic, P.; Mahapatra, S.; Habib, A.; Krishnan, S.; Sikka, A.; Ravindranath, D. 2025. Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 6p. (Solar Irrigation for Agricultural Resilience [SoLAR] Issue Brief Series 8). |
| spellingShingle | solar powered irrigation systems groundwater management sustainability pumps water use Alam, Mohammad Faiz Varshney, Deepak Mitra, Archisman Pavelic, Paul Mahapatra, Smaranika Habib, A. Krishnan, S. Sikka, Alok Ravindranath, Darshini Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh |
| title | Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh |
| title_full | Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh |
| title_short | Does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability? Evidence from India and Bangladesh |
| title_sort | does solar irrigation threaten groundwater sustainability evidence from india and bangladesh |
| topic | solar powered irrigation systems groundwater management sustainability pumps water use |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176500 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alammohammadfaiz doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh AT varshneydeepak doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh AT mitraarchisman doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh AT pavelicpaul doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh AT mahapatrasmaranika doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh AT habiba doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh AT krishnans doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh AT sikkaalok doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh AT ravindranathdarshini doessolarirrigationthreatengroundwatersustainabilityevidencefromindiaandbangladesh |