An economic study of the use of solar energy in the irrigation of reclaimed agricultural lands in Assiut Governorate

Abstract

The cost of energy sources used for irrigation on reclaimed land in the Assiut Governorate is a growing problem due to the high prices of electricity and diesel used for irrigation. Therefore, this research aims to study the daily needs of water crops, on the basis of which the solar power plant operating under various irrigation systems is proposed as an alternative source of electricity, and also to compare irrigation methods for the three categories of possession (less than 10 acres, larger than 10 acres, and less than 20 acres), and the differences in irrigation costs due to the use of various energy methods and both direct solar energy and hybrid energy in the reclaimed agricultural lands in the most important provinces of the Assiut Governorate. Finally; study and compare the advantages and disadvantages of solar, electricity, and diesel water pumps. The solar pumping program was used according to the water need for crops, and a serious study was conducted to compare the uses of various energy sources to irrigate reclaimed agricultural land. From the study of the feasibility study of the project during the 25 years of its establishment, the most important results were that the use of direct solar energy and hybrids on the one hand and electricity on the other hand to obtain energy for spray irrigation for the selected zones for the different categories of possession, where Albadari zone has the largest decrease, with an estimated 99.17%, 74.42% for the third category of possession of electricity, respectively, and Alfathzone was the lowest, with an estimated 19.92%, 10.68% for the first possession class of direct solar electricity and hybrids, respectively. In the case of drip irrigation, Albadarizone also recorded the largest reduction of the difference between direct solar energy, hybrid, and electricity, estimated at 99.9%, 72.09% of electricity for the third category. Manflotzone recorded a lower rate of 16.81 %, 5.7 % of electricity, either direct or hybrid, respectively, during the study period. Therefore, the study recommends the work of a solar power plant, due to the existence of a variance between the systems of energy use in irrigating the reclaimed agricultural lands, as the irrigation costs per acre were reduced in all centers instead of the use of electricity.