Solar energy groundwater pumping: A sustainable solution to energy squeeze in smallholders’irrigation in India
Solar energy groundwater pumping
Abstract
Indias smallholder agriculture boomed with supplemental irrigation made possible by diesel and electric pumps. However, smallholders’ irrigation is under siege from an energy squeeze with deteriorating farm power supply and manifold increase in diesel prices. Energy squeeze undermines the adoption of broad range precision irrigation technologies and profitable productivity of small holdings. Use of solar energy, particularly in ground water pumping and in use of pressurised irrigation, could improve energy access, reducing fossil fuels consumptions, and low carbon developmental pathway; as average incident solar radiation over its geographical area is of 4-7 kWhm-2 day-1 with 250-300 clear sunshine days. To promote solar energy use, a suitable ground water pumping model is required to fulfil irrigation needs, under the prevailing solar radiation conditions and depth to water level scenario of ground water. This paper describes a solar photovoltaic ground water pumping model suitable for small farm irrigation ether by traditional methods of irrigations, or by using pressurised irrigation technologies, as it generates pressure heads of 98 kPa to 147 kPa, when incident solar radiation flux is ranging from 400 to 800 W/m2, the condition which prevails over its geographical area during peak sunshine hours, i.e., from 9.00AM-3.00PM IST, throughout the year.
