Solar Irrigation Research Articles

Unleashing the potential of solar irrigation in Bangladesh: key lessons from different implementation models

The transition to solar-powered irrigation in South Asia offers an opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce dependency on expensive diesel. However, appropriate institutional and financial models are required to scale up this technology. Three different solar irrigation pump (SIP) implementation modalities coexist in Bangladesh, providing a good opportunity to evaluate and gain insightful knowledge on the solarization process. These conclusions are also applicable to neighboring countries dealing with comparable problems. The three models are (i) community-managed SIP model, (ii) individual ownership model, and (iii) fee-for-service model. In this article, we argue that the fee-for-service model involving a market-based approach and public-private partnership is the most promising in terms of addressing two main challenges in solarization, i.e. high capex financing requirement and generation of sufficient demand. In terms of achieving equity in SIP access and groundwater sustainability, all three models have their respective pros and cons. However, the financial sustainability of SIPs is under threat due to the significant project costs. It is imperative to expedite the integration of SIPs with the national power grid while implementing supportive government policies. This includes enhancing buy-back tariffs and introducing net-metering options to ensure long-term sustainability.

Design and optimization of automatic solar irrigation-based PLC


 
 
 Irrigation is the most important step in agriculture. In order to obtain a good agricultural crop, water must be used wisely and appropriately without waste. This article presents an automatic solar irrigation system developed and designed by the authors. The system consists of two parts: a photovoltaic water pumping system and a unit of control based on programmable logic controller. The programmable logic controller (PLC) uses two sensors: one is placed in the field to measure the moisture in the soil, while the second is used to control the amount of water in the storage unit. The photovoltaic pumping system was designed to be able to irrigate one-hectare area of henna Lawsonia inermis L. with daily water need of 33 m3/day and total dynamic head (TDH) of 14 m. The region opted for this study and analysis is 34°41.1’ N latitudes and 6°29.6’ E longitudes in Zribet el Oued-biskra, Algeria.
 
 

Seamless Control for Three-Phase Grid Interfaced Solar Irrigation Pump Driven by Synchronous Reluctance Motor

Seamless Control for Three-Phase Grid Interfaced Solar Irrigation Pump Driven by Synchronous Reluctance Motor

Technology for whom? Solar irrigation pumps, women, and smallholders in Nepal

Agricultural technologies are often promoted as a medium for women’s economic empowerment, which can transform unequal gender relations in rural agrarian societies. This paper investigates three solar irrigation pump (SIP) schemes implemented by state and non-state actors and examines their impacts on women and marginal farmers. We utilize a theory of change framework intended to evaluate the effectiveness of livelihood interventions and guide the design of gender transformative interventions. Our analysis relies on 63 qualitative interviews, 9 key informant interviews and 4 telephonic interviews with social mobilisers from the Saptari District in Nepal. The findings shed light on the unequal social and gender relations that have skewed the adoption and benefits of SIP technology. Gender and social inequalities persist, with limited adoption and benefit of SIP among women and smallholders. Women’s involvement in strategic decisions related to SIP adoptions, installations and usages is limited. This study underscores the importance of strategic interventions that foster meaningful women’s empowerment and ensure equitable distribution and benefits from SIP technology. Assessing the effectiveness of SIPs in empowering women, it is crucial to consider whether the resulting access, ownership, or decision-making opportunities challenge, reinforce, or reproduce unequal gender and social relations.

Sustainable agrivoltaic system for food and energy sector in Bangladesh

In South Asia, agriculture heavily relies on groundwater for irrigation. The withdrawal is nearly 250 km3 annually. Approximately, 12 million electric and 10 million diesel water extraction pumps, totaling about 22 million, are in use in this area. In contrast, while PV-powered solar irrigation pumps are becoming more popular, they take up agricultural land, increasing the competition for land resources between food and clean energy production. It is left unattended during the off-season, wasting a lot of potential solar power that could produce green electricity. To address this, an integrated farming model can be established, utilizing existing solar pump facilities for crop cultivation, rearing Black Bengal Goats, and native fish farming. This diversified approach combines sustainable energy solutions with solar irrigation, generating both agricultural products and electricity while maintaining agricultural land for cultivation and promotion of clean energy production. The proposed method has produced both agricultural products and electricity simultaneously. This integrated system offers a solution to the challenges faced in the region, balancing food production and clean energy goals effectively. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 58(3), 163-172, 2023

Financial Feasibility of Solar Irrigation System in Sri Ganganagar District of Rajasthan

Financial Feasibility of Solar Irrigation System in Sri Ganganagar District of Rajasthan

Solar irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa: economic feasibility and development potential

Irrespective of water resource abundance, agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is predominantly rainfed. Along with fertilization, irrigation could support smallholder farmers with stabilizing crop yields, increasing incomes, and achieving food security. A key barrier to irrigation uptake is inadequate rural electricity supply for pumping and distributing water, besides other infrastructure deficits. Here we devise a spatially explicit integrated modelling framework to show that over one third of unmet crop water requirements of 19 major crops in smallholder cropland of SSA could be supplied with standalone solar photovoltaic (PV) irrigation systems that can be paid back by farmers within 20 years. This accounts for 60 km3 yr−1 of blue irrigation water requirements distributed over 55 million ha of currently rainfed harvested area (about 40% of the total). Crucially, we identify 10 million ha with a profit potential >$100 ha−1 yr−1. To finance such distributed small-scale infrastructure deployment and operation, we estimate an average discounted investment requirement of $3 billion yr−1, generating potential profits of over $5 billion yr−1 from increased yields to the smallholder farmers, as well as significant food security and energy access co-benefits. We demonstrate the critical importance of business models and investment incentives, crop prices, and PV & battery costs in shaping the economic feasibility and profitability of solar irrigation. Yet, we find that without strong land and water resources management infrastructure and governance, a widespread deployment of solar pumps may drive an unsustainable exploitation of water sources and reduce environmental flows. Our analysis supports public and private stakeholders seeking to target investments along the water–energy–food–economy–sustainable development nexus.

IMPACTS OF THE SUSTAINABLE SOLAR MARKET GARDEN ON NATURAL RESOURCES EXPLOITATION, SOCIAL NETWORK, AND WOMEN’S INCOME IN UPPER NIGER, GUINEA

Climate adaptation and human pressure on natural resources are challenges for safeguarding and preserving the ecosystem and biodiversity in Upper Niger and particularly the Milo River basin. During the dry season, women’s sources of income are the exploitation of natural resources and rural exodus. The Solar Market Garden (SMG) is a way of climate adaptation by employing women to reduce human pressure on natural resources and improve their socio-economic conditions. The overall aim is to assess the environmental and socioeconomic profitability of solar irrigation practicing garden market in Banankoni village along Milo River in Upper Niger, Guinea. Data collection includes investment in solar-powered irrigation systems, demographic characteristics of women, inputs for crops, selling prices of vegetables, and the impacts of SMG. Environmental and social impacts of SMG were analyzed by comparing women’s practices before and during garden market perimeter valorization. Assessment of the Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Payback Period (PBP), and Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) was used to analyze the economic impacts of SMG. SMG stimulates social cohesion and improves women’s position in households. It is an alternative to rural exodus and deforestation by creating employment. SMG practice enhances food security diversity, nutritious value, and the microenvironment through the consumption of produced vegetables. The NPV, IRR, and PBP analysis showed that SMG is economically profitable for women in Banankoni village during dry seasons. Most women (92.4%) are willing to invest to scale up SMG which is a pathway to decrease human pressure on natural resources and improve food security, the social status of women, and their income in the climate change context.

Mapping of Vegetable Seed Companies Willing to Adapt the Solar Irrigation System to Produce in Mali

The seed producer companies are important for achieving the technology to adapt mainly through promoting their equipment for access and transportation the water resources and services. The aims of this study were to develop a better understanding the irrigation system used by the vegetable seed companies' producers, and to identify the main constraints of access to irrigation for vegetable seed production in Mali. The focus discussion was used to collect data from 9 vegetables seeds compagnies producers and descriptive statistics were performed to capture the trend values of the respondents. The results from the preliminary analysis showed that 57% of companies have never heard about gravity irrigation and 64% use this material for irrigation. About 44% have found it too expensive for their use of another method of irrigation for moving water. However, 89% of companies already know drip irrigation and 11% of them have not used it as they find because it will be too expensive for his. The lack of equipment and financial resources to move water from the source to the plant are the main constraints facing 78% of seed companies in Mali. However, 88.9% of companies have a lack of information and training for a good plant watering.

A non-traditional Agrophotovoltaic installation and its impact on cereal crops: A case of the BRRI-33 rice variety in Bangladesh

Traditional Agrophotovoltaic (APV) installation (i.e., basic row layout with minimum or no usage of the space underneath the solar PV panels) is responsible for a vast amount of agricultural land waste as no regular crops are grown under the shade of APV. Bangladesh is no exception to this trend. A primary in-person survey of about 50 solar irrigation pumps (SIPs), i.e., APVs, in Bangladesh, shows that on average, 13.77 decimal or 7,200 sq.ft. of land is used for each APV system installation. If 10,000 SIPs are installed by 2027 in Bangladesh, as targeted by the government through Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) by employing the same procedure, the land wastage would be 1,652 acres. Notably, this is a critical issue for a country like Bangladesh with a scarcity of agricultural lands. According to World Bank data, agricultural land in Bangladesh was about 80% in 1989 and reduced to 76% in 2020 due to population growth and urbanization. Therefore, to reduce agricultural land waste a non-traditional APV installation procedure, along with its shading impact on the BRRI-33 rice variety (a major crop in Bangladesh), has been investigated in this study. The results show that discontinuous sunlight has an insignificant impact on BRRI-33 rice production, and APV might be installed in the cultivating area for irrigation purposes. This non-traditional APV installation has a statistically insignificant impact on rice yield. For instance, the 100 grains’ yield variation was between 1.45 and 4.82%, which is insignificant. Additionally, the APV shade does not negatively impact soil pH level, and shadow helps keep the soil temperature low and ensures less irrigation. Hence, the proposed non-traditional APV installation could achieve sustainable agriculture and energy development through efficient land use at least in the case of the BRRI-33 rice variety.

Solar Irrigation Potential, Key Issues and Challenges in Pakistan

Pakistan faces water scarcity and high operational costs for traditional irrigation systems, hindering agricultural productivity. Solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) can potentially provide a sustainable and affordable solution, but face technical, financial and policy barriers to adoption. A comprehensive study is needed to examine feasibility and identify barriers. Therefore, a comprehensive review study is conducted to identify the potential for solar irrigation, key issues and challenges related to its implementation in Pakistan. The analysis is based on published studies, technical reports and a survey of solar-powered drip irrigation systems. The use of SPIS in Pakistan is becoming a cost-effective and sustainable option for irrigation, particularly in remote and off-grid areas. However, these systems also have their challenges, such as high initial costs, maintenance and repairs, limited access to spare parts, lack of government policies and regulations, lack of technical expertise, lack of financing options and social acceptance. The most pressing issue is the risk of groundwater exploitation by using SPIS. Based on the analysis of the energy and water situation in Pakistan, it is important to sustainably use both solar energy and groundwater resources, through the implementation of effective management strategies and policies. With the right policies and investment in research and development of SPIS and groundwater, farmers can benefit by increasing crop yields, conserving water resources, reducing the cost of energy, increasing productivity and improving the standard of living and access to electricity in remote and off-grid areas. It is recommended that the adoption of solar energy be promoted to run high efficiency irrigation systems (HEIS) with urgent capacity improvement among farmers, advisors and system installers to sustainably manage water resources in SPIS. This would not only help to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and associated environmental impacts, but also increase farmers’ income and reduce their operational costs. Moreover, the use of SPIS can improve crop yields, leading to food security and poverty reduction. Thus, the government and policymakers should consider implementing policies and incentives to encourage the large-scale adoption of solar energy in the agricultural sector.

Decision Support Tool for the Optimal Sizing of Solar Irrigation Systems

Solar photovoltaic (PV) irrigation is increasingly used in agriculture, driven by its low operation cost and virtually zero emissions, providing electricity access in rural areas. However, the high investment cost requires an optimal design. The objective of this work was to develop a user-friendly tool to optimally size a PV generator that satisfies crop irrigation needs under local constrictions. The ODSIS (Optimal Design of Solar Irrigation System) tool, was organized in three calculation modules, preceded by two complements, which determine the daily crop irrigation needs and power demand of the pumping system. Then, the first module sizes the PV plant, considering a multiplication factor, and provides the PV production potential throughout each day of the season. The second and third modules evaluate the total investment cost and equivalent greenhouse gas emissions avoided by comparison with traditional energy sources. This tool was applied to a case study in Senegal for which a multiplication factor of 1.4 was obtained for the optimal PV plant size. Between 22% to 64% of the investment cost corresponded to the PV pumping system, depending on the irrigation technique. The use of PV energy in the case study would represent an annual economic saving for the farmer after 5 to 8 years of payback period, avoiding the emission of between 29.8 and 37.9 tCO2eq/year for the case study area.

The Economic Impacts of Using Renewable Energy Technologies for Irrigation Water Pumping and Nanoparticle Fertilizers on Agri-Food Production in Iraq

While traditional energy sources such as oil, coal, and natural gas drive economic growth, they also seriously affect people’s health and the environment. Renewable energies (RE) are presently seen as an efficient choice for attaining long-term sustainability in development. They provide an adequate response to climate change and supply sufficient electricity. The current situation in Iraq results from a decades-long scarcity of reliable electricity, which has impacted various industries, including agriculture. There are diverse prospects for using renewable energy sources to address the present power crisis. The economic and environmental impacts of renewable energy systems were investigated in this study by using the solar pumping irrigation system and nanoparticle fertilizers on agri-food production with the Farm Simulation FARMSIM model. The results show that using all REs with Carefree Water Conditioner for water treatment resulted in the highest net present value and profit compared to other scenarios. The findings, however, indicate that the All RE scenario (using a solar irrigation system with a nanoparticle fertilizer system, a low-cost technology) is the most feasible and has the highest benefit–cost ratio. Due to high initial investment costs, all traditional approaches (using traditional irrigation and fertilizer systems) had a lower benefit–cost ratio than the other scenarios. According to simulation results, all four scenarios are profitable and feasible for implementation.

A Multi-Criteria Analysis on Solar and Traditional Technologies in Irrigation Development

The main aim of this study is to conduct an economic analysis and a multi-criteria analysis of electric, diesel, and solar irrigation pumps to find the best irrigation technology. After collecting the necessary data, a cost comparison is made between solar and conventional irrigation technologies. The cost of each technology is then compared using a 25-year lifespan to determine which one will be less expensive. Since there are additional important factors to consider while selecting the optimal technology, a multi-criteria analysis is done too. The cost comparison reveals that, in contrast to the other two, the solar system has higher startup expenditures but lower ongoing operating and maintenance costs. According to the cost analysis of the three technologies, solar technology is significantly less expensive than electric and diesel alternatives. Aside from the cost, electric irrigation technology appears to be a better option than solar and diesel technologies when considering other aspects like farmer satisfaction, necessary installation land, technology accessibility, weather obstruction, etc. Journal of Engineering Science 13(2), 2022, 101-110

Adoption impact of solar based irrigation facility by water-scarce northwestern areas farmers in Bangladesh: Evidence from panel data analysis

Introduction: Fossil fuel and electricity-based irrigation practices contribute to greenhouse gases and add substantial costs to water access. Solar-powered irrigation is spreading globally, notably in developing countries, as a solution to the rising energy and climate concerns related to agriculture. This policy perspective devoted to examining the impact of the solar irrigation facilities (SIF) adoption on irrigation cost and return on investment (ROI) based on seven years of panel data seeks to contribute to the efforts to propel solar irrigation toward delivering on the myriad of promises.Methods: Panel logistic regression was employed to analyze adoption determinants, while adoption impact was evaluated through the propensity score matching with the difference-in-difference (PSM-DID) method. In addition, the time and panel fixed effect DID and doubly robust DID model was also used for robustness check.Results: The result reveals that SIF adoption significantly increased ROI by 20% to 30% and reduced irrigation costs by 21% to 30%.Conclusion: The findings call for further research and analysis on evidence-based best practices for solar irrigation solutions at the farm level so that the dissemination of this revolutionary technology, apart from contributing to the advancement of the energy sector, also plays a vital role in driving us towards establishing a more equitable and sustainable world.

Low-Cost Solar Pump Irrigation System for Irrigated Rice Production

Irrigation pumps operated by diesel and electricity are commonly used for irrigated rice cultivation, but fuel cost expansion and doubtful accessibility of power hampers the continuous irrigation. A solar pump would be an alternative option for irrigation to contribute in expanding rice production and food security to the growing population. Field experiments were conducted at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur, farm during Boro season from January May in 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively to determine the economic feasibility of a low cost 1.5 Horsepower (hp ) capacity solar irrigation pump for rice cultivation. BRRI dhan63 was tested under four irrigation treatments as flood irrigation (continuous standing water at 7 cm depth above the soil surface), 3 cm irrigation at saturation level, 3 cm irrigation in AWD (alternate wetting and drying) practice, and 5 cm irrigation in AWD practice. The CROPWAT 8.0 model was used to ascertain crop water requirement (CWR) and irrigation requirement of each rice growth phase in each year using weather data. In 3 cm irrigation in AWD practice, about 1.0 ha of paddy field can be irrigated with the 1.5 hp solar pump without any or a few water deficits in reproductive and ripening phases. In both years, rice yield did not differ among the irrigation treatments. The benefit-cost ratio was 1.09, 1.18 and 1.02 for Aman, mustard and Boro season respectively. A 1.5 hp solar pump is the best feasible when it is used yearround for three or more crops. Although solar pump irrigation system involved higher initial cost, it was found economically sound and environment friendly. Thus, proper policy support is required to encourage solar power utilization for irrigation. Bangladesh Rice J. 25 (2) : 1-10, 2021

A comparative study on boro rice production under solar and non-solar irrigation practice: A case study of the northern region in Bangladesh.

The study aimed to find out the factors and reasons affecting strengthening renewable energy technologies of boro rice production through solar irrigation practice in Bangladesh. Personal interview technique was used to collect the data on solar and non-solar based boro rice farmers in the selected areas of Rangpur and Bogura district. Randomly eighty households (where forty of solar irrigation users and remaining forty of non solar users) were interviewed. Cobb-Douglas production function and descriptive statistics were used to explore the relationship between inputs and output. The major findings of the study are that socio-economic characteristics of small, medium and large farmers were different from each other in respect of age, literacy rate, farm size, and occupation, livestock ownership status, household income and expenditure. The Cobb-Douglas production found that, the solar irrigation cost, seed cost, harvesting cost and transportation cost have significant effect on solar irrigation based boro rice production and seed cost, labour cost, harvesting cost, transportation cost have significant effect on non-solar irrigation based boro rice production. Net Return and BCR for solar based per hectare rice production in Rangpur and Bogura were Tk 28580.66, Tk 21943.71 and 1.49, 1.46 respectively and for non solar based per hectare rice production in Rangpur and Bogura were Tk. 27745.40, Tk 22144.64 and 1.46, 1.43 respectively. Thus, solar practice is relatively more profitable. It suggested that the renewable based solar irrigation is assisting on sustainable crop production and also study found that it is economically viable, socially accepted and environmentally friendly.

Design and Implementation of a Smart Solar Irrigation System Using IoT and Machine Learning

Water scarcity is a major challenge in the agriculture industry, and traditional irrigation methods are often wasteful and inefficient. To address this challenge, a smart solar irrigation system that uses loT and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithms can optimize water usage for agriculture. The system can provide automated irrigation, improve crop yields, and reduce water consumption. This paper proposes a design and implementation methodology of a smart solar irrigation system using loT and ANN algorithms. The system includes solar panels, a water pump, a water storage tank, sensors, loT devices, and ANN algorithms. The system is designed to automate the irrigation process by controlling the water pump based on the data collected from the sensors.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF RECYCLEDLITHIUM-ION BATTERIES IN IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Water pumps, being the most essential part of any irrigation system require fuel or electricity to be operated. Thefuel is often expensive, and majority of rural areas are not connected to the grid. This necessitated the need foran alternative source of energy to power the pumps. Solar energy is one of the most easily accessible forms ofenergy and has the advantages of being environmentally friendly and durable. The energy is also in abundanceand readily available. A key concern is the high cost of batteries to store the solar energy. This paper analyses theperformance of solar irrigation system using recycled laptop batteries. The use of recycled laptop batteries is expectedto cut the cost of deep-cycle batteries by more than 60%. Experimental results have shown that the recycledlithium-ion batteries can effectively power irrigation pump hence, can handle the irrigation process satisfactorily.

SMALLHOLDERS ADOPTION SOLAR IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND CLIMATE CHANGE

The present study aimed at assessing farmers' adoption of irrigation systems on the effect of climate change under the hypothesis of the effect of climate change on small-scale producers. We worked on a sample of 254 vegetable farmers. The analysis shows that the biophysical characteristics of riparian areas are influenced by environmental degradation. The means of transporting water from the source to the garden are favorable thanks to surface water, 60% concerning the well and drilling, this is visible in 35% of the farmers and only 6% are reserved for rainwater. 58% of the farmers are ready to adopt the irrigation by solar system and among this 23.4% already use the solar irrigation system and think that these technologies have a positive impact on the management of the climate change In terms of equipment, 72.4% of the farmers use motorized pumps (gasoline diesel) to transport water from the source to the plot. Thus, only 26.4% have adopted the system of pumps powered by solar energy and 1.2% are satisfied with the winter campaign. In the end, we found that the intensity of farm mechanization increases with farm size and decreases with the increase in family labor. We have formulated economic policy implications tending to make solar equipment more accessible for better performance by small farmers.