The Socio-Economic Impact of Using Photovoltaic (PV) Energy for High-Efficiency Irrigation Systems: A Case Study

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a field study undertaken all over the Punjab, Pakistan, to evaluate the socio-economic and climatic impact of photovoltaic-operated high-efficiency irrigation systems (HEIS), i.e., drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Nearly half of the rural population relies on agriculture for a living, and the recent energy crisis has had a negative impact on rural communities. Farmers’ reliance on fossil fuels for the operation of irrigation systems has increased exponentially, resulting in the high costs of agricultural production. Primary data regarding on-farm agriculture and irrigation practices used in this study were collected through an intensive on-farm survey, while secondary data were taken from published reports and statistics. The results of the current investigation show that the installation of PV systems has resulted in the increased adoption of high-efficiency irrigation systems, a reduction in the high operational costs incurred on account of old diesel-powered pumping systems (with an annual saving of 6.6 million liters of diesel), a 100% increase in farmer’s income, a reduction of 17,622 tons of CO2 emissions per annum, and 41% savings in water. The unit cost of PV-powered HEIS was found to be 0.1219 USD/kWh, which was 4% and 66% less than subsidized electricity cost and diesel cost, respectively.

Optimization of Standalone Photovoltaic Drip Irrigation System: A Simulation Study

“…PV systems for operating drip-irrigation systems are more economically feasible than electric-and diesel-powered irrigation systems. This total cost per hour for electricity, diesel, and solar is similar to those found in the research study conducted by Raza et al [32].…”

“…PV systems for operating drip-irrigation systems are more economically feasible than electric-and diesel-powered irrigation systems. This total cost per hour for electricity, diesel, and solar is similar to those found in the research study conducted by Raza et al [32]. PV systems for operating drip-irrigation systems are more economically feasible than electric-and diesel-powered irrigation systems.…”

“…driven by traditional water pumps [29,30]. In addition, due to the continuous depletion of fossil fuel reserves and increasing energy costs, the importance of PV energy to operate water-pump power has increased, and that is the main area of concern for developing nations [31,32]. A photovoltaic water-pumping system (PVWPS) provides irrigation and domestic water in remote rural areas, and its reliability and performance and acceptance have made tremendous progress.…”

Demand-Side Flexibility in Power Systems: A Survey of Residential, Industrial, Commercial, and Agricultural Sectors

“…Consequently, the farms' sprinklers will be supplied by the stored water via gravity during low-renewable-power hours. In some studies, photovoltaic irrigation pumps are addressed as practical solutions to provide flexibility for both the power grid and farms [144].…”

Adoption impact of solar based irrigation facility by water-scarce northwestern areas farmers in Bangladesh: Evidence from panel data analysis

“…Besides, SIF adoption impact analysis in the Philippines revealed that the adoption not only aided in GHG emissions reduction by up to 26.5 tons CO2eq/ha/year but also contributed to the energy sector by savings between 11.4 and 378.5 L/ha of diesel per year with an average of 315% returns on investment (Guno and Agaton, 2022). Furthermore, SIF adoption in Pakistan has significantly contributed to reducing operational costs, increased farmers' income, reduced 17,622 tons of CO2 emissions per year, and saved 41% of water usage (Raza et al, 2022). In addition, apart from irrigation purpose usage and meeting electricity needs, SIFs adoption contributes to facilitating drinking water requirements in water-scarce regions and contributes toward gender empowerment by alleviating the burden of labor-intensive diesel system operation and allowing women to utilize their time for productive purposes (IRENA, 2016;Agrawal and Jain, 2018).…”