Solar Powered Irrigation Systems - Technology, Economy, Impacts

Overview

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has commissioned a worldwide study on technical solutions and management practices related to solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS). The study is developed in close cooperation with the sector program Poverty-oriented Basic Energy Services (HERA), which has more than three decades of experience in the field of energy access. Based on actual technical innovations and good practices in applying photovoltaic technology in water extraction and conveyance for agricultural purposes, a manual and tools for the promotion of SPIS in the development sector and beyond will be developed.

The manual and the tools shall cater for the main issues of

• Information and knowledge sourcing;
  
• Technology choice and suitability;
  
• Assessment of financial viability and environmental impacts;
  
• Determination of operation and maintenance (O&M) implications;
  
• Identification of required and recommended promotion measures accompanying support measures.
  

 

The development of the SPIS-manual and the related tools follows a two-step approach, comprising

• An initial stocktaking and analysis based on information generated by practitioners and researchers worldwide, backed-up by case studies from the German international cooperation (Step 1);
  
• The development of the manual, guidelines and assessment and decision-making tools based on experience with existing publications, thereby addressing the requirements of the development sector (Step 2).
  

 

The present and Analysis Report captures the findings of the study’s first step. It is based on literature review, desk research and four country case studies in Chile, India, Kenya and Morocco executed in the period between December 2014 and February 2015.

The information collected during the stocktaking and analysis step of the study will be a source of information for the subsequent development of the SPIS promotion and planning manual and tools. Main results and findings of this first step have been discussed in the framework of a stakeholder workshop hosted by GIZ in March 2015.

 

Overview of Irrigation Technologies     

This chapter gives an overview about modern irrigation technologies, their advantages and disadvantages, required energy sources as well as financial aspects:

• General types of irrigation
  
• Modern water-saving irrigation solutions
  
• Energy sources for water abstraction and pressurized irrigation
  
• Pumping technology for water abstraction and irrigation
  
• Comparative financial analysis of irrigation solutions
  
• Financial calculation models
  

Technical Characteristics and Design of SPIS     

In the chapter technical characteristics and design of SPIS introduces the following aspects:

Components of photovoltaic pumping systems

SPIS plant concepts

Planning and sizing of SPIS

 

Management Requirements of SPIS    

For assessing the specific management requirements of PV irrigation systems, it is advisable to distinguish between strategic, tactical and operational management:

Stakeholder in the SPIS management

Impacts on strategic farm management

Impacts on tactical farm management

Impacts on operational farm management

 

Financial Viability of SPIS

Financial viability is the ability to generate sufficient income to meet operating expenditure, financing needs and, ideally, to allow profit generation. Each irrigation technology choice has its limitations in terms of the range of crops it can support in production. On the other hand, the investment costs attached to the choice of technology limit the range of crops to select for production to a large extent. Pressurized irrigation systems in general and micro irrigation systems in particular are on the capitalintensive side of investments for irrigation infrastructure and equipment.

This chapter explains respective parameters for assessing financial viability and provides an exemplary financial analysis of eight SPIS systems.

 

Ecological Impacts and Sustainability of SPIS

Apart from being a cost-competitive and reliable source of electricity, photovoltaic systems generate a number of ecologic benefits. This chapter describes the ecological impacts and sustainability aspects of SPIS, as well as associated water governance issues.

 

Tools for Technical Design and Economic Assessment

In this chapter, a selection of the individual software tools will be presented. The information has been compiled from reliable documented and published references/resources as cited in the publication. The following tools are presented:

Design and simulation tools for PV pumps

Design and simulation tools for irrigation systems

Calculation tools for irrigation requirements

 

Country Case Studies

Country case studies were carried out in Chile, India, Kenya and Morocco as part of the stocktaking and analysis exercise. The selection of countries was made to have a worldwide bias and an insight into different markets and market scopes:

Chile: Widespread utilization of PV pumping technology in irrigation, strong promotion of SPIS by government, main target group small tomedium farms (2 - 5 ha), but also larger farms up to 30 ha under PVirrigation;

India: High level of water abstraction with pumps, ambitious government program to replace conventional pumps by PV technology, main target group small to medium farms (2 - 5 ha), local products/systems on the market;

Kenya: Very high share of smallholders (< 2 ha) and high potential to develop dry lands by PV pumping from groundwater, local products on the market;

Morocco: Main market for suppliers like Lorentz and Grundfos, medium (10 – 15 ha) and large size commercial farms utilizing PV pumping

 

Potential and Barriers for SPIS Distribution

Several barriers need to be overcome in developing countries to develop their huge PV potential. This chapter gives a brief overview of key drivers for solar pumps and key hurdles that stand in the way of SPIS dissemination. An opportunity and risk assessment in the following aspects has been conducted:

 Opportunity assessment:

Global PV Market Growth

Diesel Generator Replacement

Greenfield Development

Technology Access to Smallholders

Bridging Grid Power Failures

Job Creation and Local Production

Innovation Potential

 

Risk assessment:

High initial investment cost

Lack of market-oriented financing

Oil price development

Lack of marked-oriented policies

Lack of awareness and impact monitoring

Lack of quality assurance and service

Natural disasters and theft

Summary of opportunity and risks

 

Further Information