IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/ijaeri/333371.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Technical Feasibility Of Using Solar Energy In Smallscale Irrigation In Tillabéri, Niger Republic

Author

Listed:
  • Illiassou Naroua
  • Abdoulkadri Laouali
  • Abdoulsalam Koroney

Abstract

The objective of this work is to analyze the technical feasibility of solar pumping systems for their expansion in small-scale irrigation in Tillabéri (Niger Republic). The study area concerned all irrigable listed land in that region. The agro-climatic data, contained in the CLIMWAT 2.0 software, allowed to analyze the environment’s solar energy potential on the one hand, and to estimate the tomato, onion, potato and pepper crops water needs by using the CROPWAT 8.0 software, on the other hand. The solar energy requirements, the power of the photovoltaic generator and the number of required panels by the generator to cover the crops water needs during the peak periods, were determined according to the total hydraulic head to be overcome by the pumping system. This results in monthly average sunshine duration values ranging from 7 hours/day in August to 8.5 hours/day in May. The solar energy is 5 kWh/m2 /day in December and 6.22 kWh/m2 /day in May. The required energy for the irrigation water lifting during the peak periods, the power of the photovoltaic generator and the number of panels required for the generator varied according to the total hydraulic head (Ht) across different crops. Thus, for Ht between 15-120 m, the required energy varies between 3.62-29.00 kWh/day/ha for tomato; 3.56- 28.48 kWh/day/ha for onion; 3.23-25.83 kWh/ha/day for potato and 2.74-21.89 kWh/day/ha for pepper. The required power for the photovoltaic generator varies between 1.08-8.64 kW/ha for tomato; 1.06-8.48 kW/ha for onion; 0.96-7.69 kW/ha for potato and 0.82-6.52 kW/ha for pepper. Likewise, the number of panels varies between 4-27 panels/ha for tomato and onion; 4-25 panels/ha for potato and 3-21 panels/ha for pepper. These results indicate a considerable solar energy potential, characterized by a relatively high duration of sunshine throughout the year and a high energy production capacity per square meter. This would promote the proper functioning of the solar pumping systems as well as their expansion. However, the cost of acquiring the panels required for the generator can be an obstacle to the expansion of this technology, especially in conditions of considerable groundwater depth.

Suggested Citation

  • Illiassou Naroua & Abdoulkadri Laouali & Abdoulsalam Koroney, 2022. "Technical Feasibility Of Using Solar Energy In Smallscale Irrigation In Tillabéri, Niger Republic," International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research, Malwa International Journals Publication, vol. 8(6), December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ijaeri:333371
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.333371
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/333371/files/ijaer_08__52.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.333371?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lefore, N. & Closas, Alvar & Schmitter, Petra, 2021. "Solar for all: a framework to deliver inclusive and environmentally sustainable solar irrigation for smallholder agriculture," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 154:112313..
    2. Otoo, Miriam & Lefore, Nicole & Schmitter, Petra & Barron, Jennie & Gebregziabher, Gebrehaweria, 2018. "Business model scenarios and suitability: smallholder solar pump-based irrigation in Ethiopia. Agricultural Water Management – Making a Business Case for Smallholders," IWMI Reports 273354, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Miriam Otoo & Nicole Lefore & Petra Schmitter & Jennie Barron & Gebrehaweria Gebregziabher, 2018. "Business model scenarios and suitability: smallholder solar pump-based irrigation in Ethiopia. Agricultural Water Management – Making a Business Case for Smallholders (IWMI Research Report 172)," IWMI Research Reports H048583, International Water Management Institute.
    4. Closas, Alvar & Rap, Edwin, 2017. "Solar-based groundwater pumping for irrigation: Sustainability, policies, and limitations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 33-37.
    5. Lefore, Nicole & Closas, Alvar & Schmitter, Petra, 2021. "Solar for all: A framework to deliver inclusive and environmentally sustainable solar irrigation for smallholder agriculture," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Charmaine Samala Guno & Casper Boongaling Agaton, 2022. "Socio-Economic and Environmental Analyses of Solar Irrigation Systems for Sustainable Agricultural Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Magalhaes, M. & Ringler, C. & Verma, Shilp & Schmitter, Petra, 2022. "Accelerating rural energy access for agricultural transformation: contribution of the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate cri," IWMI Reports 329154, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Magalhaes, M. & Ringler, C. & Verma, Shilp & Schmitter, Petra, 2021. "Accelerating rural energy access for agricultural transformation: contribution of the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate cri," IWMI Books, Reports H050910, International Water Management Institute.
    4. Juan Ignacio Herraiz & Rita Hogan Almeida & Manuel Castillo-Cagigal & Luis Narvarte, 2023. "Experimental Performance Evaluation of a PV-Powered Center-Pivot Irrigation System for a Three-Year Operation Period," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-19, April.
    5. Lefore, N. & Giordano, Meredith & Ringler, C. & Barron, J., "undated". "Sustainable and equitable growth in farmer-led irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa: what will it take?," Papers published in Journals (Open Access) H049101, International Water Management Institute.
    6. Edward B. Barbier, 2023. "Overcoming digital poverty traps in rural Asia," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 1403-1420, August.
    7. Rahman, Md Momtazur & Khan, Imran & Field, David Luke & Techato, Kuaanan & Alameh, Kamal, 2022. "Powering agriculture: Present status, future potential, and challenges of renewable energy applications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 731-749.
    8. Terang, Bharat & Baruah, Debendra Chandra, 2023. "Techno-economic and environmental assessment of solar photovoltaic, diesel, and electric water pumps for irrigation in Assam, India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    9. Alessandra Santini & Antonella Di Fonzo & Elisa Giampietri & Andrea Martelli & Orlando Cimino & Anna Dalla Marta & Maria Carmela Annosi & Francisco José Blanco-Velázquez & Teresa Del Giudice & Filiber, 2023. "A Step toward Water Use Sustainability: Implementing a Business Model Canvas for Irrigation Advisory Services," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-13, May.
    10. Nakaishi, Tomoaki & Chapman, Andrew & Kagawa, Shigemi, 2022. "Shedding Light on the energy-related social equity of nations toward a just transition," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    11. Nikolaos Nagkoulis & Eva Loukogeorgaki & Michela Ghislanzoni, 2022. "Genetic Algorithms-Based Optimum PV Site Selection Minimizing Visual Disturbance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-19, October.
    12. Juliet Angom & P. K. Viswanathan, 2023. "Irrigation Technology Interventions as Potential Options to Improve Water Security in India and Africa: A Comparative Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-17, November.
    13. Daniella Rodríguez-Urrego & Leonardo Rodríguez-Urrego & Benjamín González-Díaz & Ricardo Guerrero-Lemus, 2022. "Sustainability Analysis and Scenarios in Groundwater Pumping Systems: A Case Study for Tenerife Island to 2030," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-19, August.
    14. Merrey, D. J. & Lefore, Nicole, 2018. "Improving the availability and effectiveness of rural and “Micro” finance for small-scale irrigation in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of lessons learned," IWMI Working Papers H049027, International Water Management Institute.
    15. Mohammed Wazed, Saeed & Hughes, Ben Richard & O’Connor, Dominic & Kaiser Calautit, John, 2018. "A review of sustainable solar irrigation systems for Sub-Saharan Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 1206-1225.
    16. Ahmad Hamidov & Katharina Helming, 2020. "Sustainability Considerations in Water–Energy–Food Nexus Research in Irrigated Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, August.
    17. Rubio-Aliaga, Alvaro & García-Cascales, M. Socorro & Sánchez-Lozano, Juan Miguel & Molina-Garcia, Angel, 2021. "MCDM-based multidimensional approach for selection of optimal groundwater pumping systems: Design and case example," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 213-224.
    18. Miguel Ángel Pardo & Héctor Fernández & Antonio Jodar-Abellan, 2020. "Converting a Water Pressurized Network in a Small Town into a Solar Power Water System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-26, August.
    19. Parvaresh Rizi, Atefeh & Ashrafzadeh, Afshin & Ramezani, Azita, 2019. "A financial comparative study of solar and regular irrigation pumps: Case studies in eastern and southern Iran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 1096-1103.
    20. Elisabeth A. Shrimpton & Nazmiye Balta-Ozkan, 2024. "A Systematic Review of Socio-Technical Systems in the Water–Energy–Food Nexus: Building a Framework for Infrastructure Justice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-20, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agribusiness;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:ijaeri:333371. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://ijaer.in/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.