Res. Agr. Eng., 2017, 63(4):168-171 | DOI: 10.17221/12/2016-RAE

Investigation of solar-powered drip irrigation: The case study of the Jordan ValleyShort Communication

Christoforos Perakis^*,1, George Kyriakarakos¹, Nabeel Bani Hani², Shaker Hammad³, Markos Damasiotis¹

¹ Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving, Development Programs Division, Pikermi, Greece

² National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension, Baq'a, Jordan

³ National Energy Research Centre/Royal Scientific Society, Amman, Jordan

Agriculture is the sector that consumes by far most water globally. Much research efforts aim at minimizing losses through the use of drip irrigation. Rural agricultural areas often do not have access to a main electrical grid to power the pumps needed for drip irrigation; it reduces the options in paying for a grid extension, getting a diesel generator or investing in an off-grid renewable energy system. In this paper, these alternatives are assessed technically and economically under real world conditions through the Jordan Valley case study. The results show that the autonomous photovoltaic (PV)-battery system is preferable to the use of a diesel generator, as well as it is preferable to the main grid extension in many cases depending on the cost of grid electricity and distance from the grid. For current subsidized grid electricity retail price to farmers, the PV-battery system becomes more attractive above a 300 m distance from the grid, while if the actual cost of electricity production in Jordan is taken into account, then it breaks even to 128 m.

Keywords: photovoltaics; batteries; conventional fuels; pumping; net present cost

Published: December 31, 2017  Show citation