The Use of Solar Energy in Irrigated Agriculture: A Sourcebook for Irrigation Water Management with Alternative Energy Solutions

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

In the last decade, solar energy has experienced a rapid growth, which brings both environmental and economic benefits. In many countries, there is still no electricity grid extension in rural areas, and in the absence of a reliable electricity supply, farmers have to resort to diesel-based pumping irrigation systems. The solar photovoltaic (PV) system generates clean energy and eliminates the risk of environmental pollution in the form of oil spills, contaminated soil and carbon dioxide emissions.

Operation and maintenance of the solar PV pumping system is a technical job that requires specialized knowledge and information to keep the system in working condition and sustainable and in working conditions. For this purpose, this sourcebook is designed to provide information on the design, operation, inspection, troubleshooting, and maintenance of solar PV pumping systems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• Release date: Mar 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9789251358719

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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Required citation: Salman, M., Abdelfattah, A., Ahmad, W., Simongini, C. 2022. The use of solar energy in irrigated agriculture: A sourcebook for irrigation water management with alternative energy solutions. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb8459en

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ISBN 978-92-5-135699-9

E-ISBN 978-92-5-135871-9 (EPUB)

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Front and back photo credits (left to right and top to bottom): [front] ©FAO/Riccardo Venturi, ©Pixabay, ©FAO/NOOR/Benedicte Kurzen, ©FAO/Ahmed Abdelfattah, ©FAO/Giuseppe Bizarri, ©FAO/Ahmed Abdelfattah; [back] ©FAO/P. Pittet, ©FAO/Luis Tato, © FAO/Sitraka Andrinivo, ©FAO/Benedicte Kurzen, ©FAO/Ahmed Abdelfattah, ©FAO/Sarah Elliott, ©FAO/Gent Skhullaku, ©FAO/Ahmed Abdelfattah.

Acknowledgements

This knowledge product was prepared by an FAO team led by Maher Salman, Senior Land and Water Officer & Team Leader of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Group, Land and Water Division (NSL). The team included: Ahmed Abdelfattah, Renewable Energy Specialist (NSL), Waqas Ahmad, Water Management Specialist, (NSL), and Camilla Simongini, Environmental Engineer (NSL).

The team gratefully acknowledges guidance and support received from Lifeng Li, Land and Water Division Director; and Sasha Koo-Oshima, Land and Water Deputy Director.

Acknowledgement is due to Ahmad Hamza, Chairperson of Mechanical Engineering Department Head, Assiut University; Ahmed Hegazy, Head of Water Engineering and Renewable Energies unit at Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Brian Norton, Head of Energy Research at IERC/Tyndall National Institute; Imran Haleem, Director Renewable Energy Projects at PakhtunKhwa Energy Development Organization; and Stefania Giusti, Programme Officer, Land and Water Division (NSL) for their feedback during the review process.

A special thanks to Rubén Martínez (NSL) for the design of the book.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations and acronyms

Units and symbols

Executive summary

Introduction

Water scarcity and the role of energy

Types of solar water pumping systems

Design of solar photovoltaic powered pumping systems

Electricity basics

Principles of solar energy

Solar water pump

Principle of solar water pumping

Quantifying the available solar energy

Components of a solar-powered pumping system

General approach for designing a solar PV powered pumping system

System economics

Comparison between solar and diesel pumping

Operation and maintenance overview

Operation of solar photovoltaic powered pumping systems

System operations

Training and toolbox talk

Cleaning arrangement

Maintenance of a solar photovoltaic powered pumping system

General maintenance procedure

Isolation procedure (lockout) of different equipment

Preventive maintenance

Corrective maintenance

Discussion

References

Glossary

Annex - Case studies

Box

Box 1. Standard operating procedure for the cleaning of PV panels

Box 2. Standard operating procedure when high voltage is present in the system

Box 3. Standard display of caution and warning signs

Box 4. Precautions for isolating PV strings

Box 5. Precautions for isolating combiner box

Box 6. Precautions for isolating variable frequency drives

Box 7. Precautions for replacing PV modules

Box 8. Precautions for repairing DC cables

Box 9. Precautions for replacing combiner box fuse

Figures

Figure 1. Standalone system for direct irrigation

Figure 2. Standalone system for direct irrigation with batteries

Figure 3. Standalone