Suitability analysis of solar PV irrigation system in eastern and western indo-gangetic plains of India
Student name: Ms Pratibha Prakash
Guide: Dr Chubamenla Jamir
Year of completion: 2017
Host Organisation: Borlaug Institute for South Asia-CIMMYT
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Paresh B Shirsath
Abstract: The groundwater irrigation is an energy intensive activity, which consumes large
quantities coal and diesel, and generates large amount of emissions. The conventional
groundwater irrigation is highly vulnerable to fluctuating coal and diesel prices and
erratic power supply. The use of renewable energy such as solar energy for groundwater
pumping can be a promising alternative. The high initial capital costs of installation of
solar photovoltaic water pump (SPWP) has acted as a deterrent factor. However,
advancement of photovoltaic technology, in recent years, has gained momentum and a
positive trend in the decline in the prices of photovoltaic module has been experienced. In
this study, suitability analysis for SPVWP has been done for two states Punjab and Bihar,
which represents the contrasting scenario of groundwater level in the agriculturally
diverse Indo-Gangetic plains. The technical suitability is determined based on the
required solar panel area for installation, well depth, crop water requirements and
amount of solar radiation. It provides an alternate land use options based on the existing
cropping pattern, required pump size and different farm sizes. The results from the study
suggest that a very small fraction of the farm sizes will be required for SPVWP installation
and is sufficient for irrigating low, medium and high-water requirement crops. The semi-
medium sized farms in Punjab and Bihar can be irrigated sufficiently using 3 hp and 5 hp
pumps. The farmers of small and marginal sized farms can pool their water requirements
and share a single pump, whereas large sized farm owners have to install more than one
SPVWP for sufficiently irrigating their farms. The use of SPVWP will also mitigate the
carbon dioxide emissions, associated with groundwater pumping particularly in Punjab.
The calculated life cycle cost and annualised life cycle costs represents that SPWP have
become cheaper alternative than diesel pumps and with the increasing electricity tariffs
SPWP with become better and cheaper alternative than the grid-connected pumps also.
Keywords: Groundwater irrigation, solar photovoltaic water pump, techno-economic
analysis, alternate land use pattern, life cycle costs
