Toolbox on SPIS

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Introduction

The Toolbox on Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) is designed to enable advisors, service providers and practitioners in the field of solar irrigation to provide broad hands-on guidance to end-users, policy-makers and financiers. Risks related to system efficiency, financial viability and the unsustainable use of water resources can thus be minimized. The Toolbox comprises informative modules supplemented with user-friendly software tools (calculations sheets, checklists, guidelines). read more

Modules and tools touch upon:

• assessing the water requirements,
• comparing the financial viability,
• determining farm profitability and payback of investment in SPIS,
• sustainably design and maintain a SPIS,
• highlight critical workmanship quality aspects,
• and many more.

TRAINING

APP

E-LEARNING

TUTORIAL VIDEOS

NEWSLETTER

TOOLBOX DOWNLOAD

HANDBOOK

ABBREVIATIONS

GLOSSARY

PASSWORD

Background

Most water pumps utilized for irrigation purposes worldwide are powered by engines run on fossil fuels (diesel, petrol, gas) or on electricity supplied from the grid. However, fossil energy sources are limited and emissions from their utilization have negative climate impacts. At the same time, the electricity supply in many developing countries is often insufficient, unreliable or wholly absent in rural areas. As prices for solar panels have reduced, solar pumps for irrigation have become an economical, technical and environmentally viable alternative. read more

Objective

Major hindrance for the uptake of the technology is still a lack of information on solar pumps for irrigation and its relatively high investment costs. The knowledge on the potential, limitations and risks of Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) is incomplete among extension officers, suppliers, policy makers, financing institutions and other stakeholders. As a result, farmers as a major end-user group struggle to get sound information in order to make informed decisions and maintain a SPIS well. Often SPIS are designed in a way that farmers needs and site specific conditions (environmental, agronomic and technical aspects) are not comprehensively addressed. Consequently, the potential of the technology is not optimized, or worse, has negative ecological and economic impacts. The Toolbox addresses this issue by providing a holistic set of practical knowledge materials through which SPIS advisors can guide their clients towards a financially and environmentally sound choice.

Target Group

The Toolbox serves all stakeholders who advise SPIS end-users, finance investments in SPIS or conceptualize policies for SPIS:

• agricultural (irrigation) extension officers
• technology suppliers
• credit officers / risk managers in financing institutions
• policy advisors

Contents of the Toolbox

Click on box to get more information about each module or tools.

Get Informed

The GET INFORMED module provides essential information for agricultural advisors and financial service providers to understand the operating principle of Solar Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) and to differentiate between the individual system components. [+] There are no tools under this module.

Promote & Initiate SPIS Rapid Assessment Tool Impact Assessment Tool

The PROMOTE & INITIATE module provides important information for promoting the Solar Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) technology in a particular area. It focuses on the analysis of opportunities and risks, the stakeholders involved, as well as promotion strategies and activities. [+] There are two tools under this module:

• The tool PROMOTE & INITIATE – SPIS Rapid Assessment helps to understand the market for SPIS in a country and/or project region. The tool provides a report template guiding the author through the relevant aspects of SPIS that need to be assessed.
• PROMOTE & INITIATE – Impact Assessment Tool provides a guide to the possible impacts of solar-powered irrigation systems on socio-economics and environment.

Safeguard Water Water Requirement Tool Water Resource Management Checklist

The SAFEGUARD WATER module aims to give an introduction to ground water management and the principles of sustainable water management. It focuses on mainly on water governance issues and the potential negative impacts of (ground-)water depletion through solar pumping. [+] There are two tools under this module:

• The SAFEGUARD WATER – Water Requirement Tool provides basic water requirement calculation tools for crops and livestock. (Click here to view the tutorial video).
• The SAFEGUARD WATER – Water Resource Management Checklist are forms to maintain water resource records and check if water is managed sustainably.

MARKETMarket Assessment Tool

The MARKET Module aims to provide high-level theory on how to conduct market potential assessments for solar powered irrigation systems within a country or region. [+] There is one tool under this module:

• The Market Assessment tool considers basic geophysical parameters, and provides guidelines and weights to evaluate parameters that inform an enabling business environment for SPIS.

Invest Farm Analysis Tool Payback Tool

The INVEST module provides guidance to financial service providers who are financing or planning to finance SPIS. The module targets stakeholders at management level who decide on credit policies and loan officers who assess single loan applications for financing SPIS. [+] There are two tools under this module:

• INVEST – Farm Analysis Tool helps you to do an Excel-based financial analysis for an agricultural enterprise. (Click here to view the tutorial video).
• INVEST – Payback Tool calculates the financial viability of a SPIS and compare that to other alternative pumping systems (diesel and grid power).(Click here to view the tutorial video).

Finance Finance Deployment Tool

The FINANCE module describes general financial services possibly available to farmers who want to adopt a Solar Powered Irrigation System (SPIS). [+] There is one tool under this module:

• The Finance Deployment tool serves to identify the most suitable financial products available on the market for the use of a solar-powered irrigation system.

Design Site Data Collection Tool SPIS Suitability Checklist Pump Sizing Tool

The DESIGN module helps to select the suitable system configuration for a specific situation. A substantial set of tools helps to assess site conditions, select and design the appropriate type of SPIS and conduct a simplified financial viability assessment and calculates the detailed financial viability of the producer. [+] There are three tools under this module:

• DESIGN – Site Data Collection Tool is a questionnaire of 29 pages to collect technical, organizational and financial information on site.
• DESIGN – Pump Sizing Tool is an Excel calculation sheet to calculate pumping head and select pump type. (Click here to view the tutorial video).
• DESIGN – SPIS Suitability Checklist Tool is a qualitative checklist on suitability of a site for SPIS.

Set Up PVP Acceptance Test Workmanship Quality Checklist

The SET UP module provides necessary information and tools to enable the installation of a SPIS. It focuses on the selection of installers, acceptance and system tests as well as documentation and hand over of the system. [+] There are two tools under this module:

• SET UP – PVP Acceptance Test is a guideline to compare the installed with the actual capacity of the pump.
• SET UP – Workmanship Quality Checklist helps to examine the workmanship quality after installation of a SPIS.

Irrigate Soil Tool

The IRRIGATE module provides an introduction to the complexities surrounding irrigation. [+] There is one tool under this module:

• IRRIGATE – Soil Tool complements the Water Requirement Tool by determining a suitable irrigation schedule according to crop and soil type. (Click here to view the tutorial video).

Maintain Maintenance Checklist Water Application Uniformity Guide

The MAINTAIN module elaborates on maintenance plans, the selection of service providers, regular routines and documentation and monitoring. [+] There are two tools under this module:

• MAINTAIN – Maintenance Checklist is a list of questions to check if SPIS is properly maintained.
• MAINTAIN – Water Application Uniformity Guide provides the background to the importance of uniform application of water and instructions to determine the water application uniformity for drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, with accompanying calculation sheet.

The SPIS Toolbox in a nutshell

Discover the SPIS Toolbox poster and get an insight into the world of SPIS.

SPIS Toolbox for decision-making

Discover the SPIS Toolbox poster for decision-making processes.

Further Resources

Here you can find additional resources (tools, videos and publications) on SPIS.

Contact

Email your feedback, experiences and recommendations to we4f@giz.de.

Imprint

The Toolbox on Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) is a legacy project of the global initiative Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development (PAEGC). In 2012, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Duke Energy, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) combined resources to support new and sustainable approaches to accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy solutions for increasing agriculture productivity.

The Toolbox on SPIS has now been embraced for further development by PAEGC's successor program Water and Energy for Food (WE4F). WE4F is a joint international initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the European Union (EU), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). WE4F aims to increase food production along the value chain through a more sustainable and efficient usage of water and/or energy.

read more

Published by
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of BMZ as a founding partner of the global initiative Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development (PAEGC) and Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) and
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Responsible

GIZ Project Water and Energy for Food (WE4F)

Contact
we4f@giz.de.

About
Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) https://we4f.org
energypedia Portal: https://energypedia.info/wiki/Portal:Water_and_Energy_for_Food

Version
3.0 (July 2020)

Disclaimer
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) or any of the PAEGC or WE4F Founding Partners concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by GIZ, FAO, or any of the PAEGC or WE4F Founding Partners in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of GIZ, FAO, or any of the PAEGC or WE4F Founding Partners.

GIZ, FAO and the PAEGC and WE4F Founding Partners encourage the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except where otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of GIZ and FAO as the source and copyright holder is given.

© GIZ and FAO, 2018