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| − | <div>
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| | + | {{SPIS Banner}} |
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| | + | === '''<span style="color:#879637;">Select SPIS Configuration</span>''' === |
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| − | = Select SPIS Configuration =
| + | [[File:Configuration-solar.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Figure 1: SPIS configuration with a solar tracking system, surface pump and drip irrigation (Source GFA)]] [[File:Solar-panels-fixed.jpg|thumb|right|300pxpx|Figure 2: SPIS configuration with the solar panels fixed, submersible pump, a reservoir and surface irrigation (Source GFA)]] A SPIS can be designed in many ways; major variations will lie in the combination of key components: |
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| − | A SPIS can be designed in many ways; major variations will lie in the combination of key components: | + | |
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| | *solar mounting system (fixed or tracking); | | *solar mounting system (fixed or tracking); |
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| | *irrigation method – mainly drip or surface irrigation. | | *irrigation method – mainly drip or surface irrigation. |
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| − | An overview and description of different configurations of the individual components is provided in the '''GET INFORMED''' module. | + | An overview and description of different configurations of the individual components is provided in the '''[[SPIS - Get Informed|GET INFORMED]]''' module. |
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| | Technically, any irrigation method can be combined with a solar water pump. However, it becomes a matter of cost. Pressure and high discharge require more energy and therefore higher costs. Drip irrigation, working at comparably low operating pressures and water efficient, suits solar pumping systems best. Yet, it requires that the producer learns new irrigation management skills. The suitability of a particular system configuration for a given farm depends on the water availability, the farm’s specific water requirements, its agricultural production and the producer’s skills and budget. | | Technically, any irrigation method can be combined with a solar water pump. However, it becomes a matter of cost. Pressure and high discharge require more energy and therefore higher costs. Drip irrigation, working at comparably low operating pressures and water efficient, suits solar pumping systems best. Yet, it requires that the producer learns new irrigation management skills. The suitability of a particular system configuration for a given farm depends on the water availability, the farm’s specific water requirements, its agricultural production and the producer’s skills and budget. |
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| | The human and financial resources required for maintenance should already be considered in the design of the system. As a rule, higher investments in good quality equipment outweigh the time and effort put into maintaining and repairing poor quality equipment. | | The human and financial resources required for maintenance should already be considered in the design of the system. As a rule, higher investments in good quality equipment outweigh the time and effort put into maintaining and repairing poor quality equipment. |
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| − | The figure below shows an SPIS configuration where one saves on the costs for the reservoir but spends on the tracking systems. The tracking system enables a relatively stable pump dis-charge which is important, because there is no reservoir to buffer the amount of water going to the field. The water can further be controlled by the valves and by splitting up of the drip irrigation systemin sections.
| + | Figure 1 shows an SPIS configuration where one saves on the costs for the reservoir but spends on the tracking systems. The tracking system enables a relatively stable pump dis-charge which is important, because there is no reservoir to buffer the amount of water going to the field. The water can further be controlled by the valves and by splitting up of the drip irrigation system in sections. |
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| − | [[File:Configuration-solar.jpg|thumb|center|600px|SPIS configuration with a solar tracking system, surface pump and drip irrigation]]
| + | Figure 2 shows another, more common, configuration where water is pumped from the ground and stored in an elevated reservoir. The water goes through the irrigation head, which can be equipped with volumetric valves, and/or a fertigation system. Nevertheless the producer is forced to divide the field into small sections to allow a relatively controlled distribution of water across the field.This SPIS configuration requires relatively little maintenance as the panels and the pump are fixed. |
| − | <div>
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| − | The next figure shows another, more common, configuration where water is pumped from the ground and stored in an elevated reservoir. The water goes through the irrigation head, which can be equipped with volumetric valves, and/or a fertigation system. Nevertheless the producer is forced to divide the field into small sections to allow a relatively controlled distribution of water across the field.This SPIS configuration requires relatively little maintenance as the panels and the pump are fixed.
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| − | == Data Requirements == | + | === '''<span style="color:#879637;">Data Requirements</span>''' === |
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| | *Results of on-site data collection; | | *Results of on-site data collection; |
| | *Results of comparative financial analysis. | | *Results of comparative financial analysis. |
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| − | == People / Stakeholders == | + | === '''<span style="color:#879637;">People/Stakeholders</span>''' === |
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| | *Producers; | | *Producers; |
| − | *Agricultural serviceproviders; | + | *Agricultural service providers; |
| − | *Technology providers/systemintegrators. | + | *Technology providers/system integrators. |
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| − | == Important Issues == | + | === '''<span style="color:#879637;">Important Issues</span>''' === |
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| | *PV water pumping works best with low pressure drip irrigation systems. | | *PV water pumping works best with low pressure drip irrigation systems. |
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| | *Varying hydraulic loads can be mitigated by are (a) using automatic valves, (b) adapting irrigation field size (c) and solar tracking. | | *Varying hydraulic loads can be mitigated by are (a) using automatic valves, (b) adapting irrigation field size (c) and solar tracking. |
| | *Combining PV-based water pumping with traditional surface irrigation methods tends to be non-viable in financial terms. | | *Combining PV-based water pumping with traditional surface irrigation methods tends to be non-viable in financial terms. |
| − | </div>
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| − | <br/>[[File:Solar-panels-fixed.jpg|thumb|center|600px|SPIS configuration with the solar panels fixed, submersible pump, a reservoir and surface irrigation]]
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| − | [[Category:SPIS_Module]]
| + | {{SPIS Reference}} |
| − | [[Category:Powering_Agriculture]]
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| | [[Category:Tools]] | | [[Category:Tools]] |
| | + | [[Category:Powering_Agriculture]] |
| | + | [[Category:SPIS_Module]] |
A SPIS can be designed in many ways; major variations will lie in the combination of key components:
An overview and description of different configurations of the individual components is provided in the GET INFORMED module.
Technically, any irrigation method can be combined with a solar water pump. However, it becomes a matter of cost. Pressure and high discharge require more energy and therefore higher costs. Drip irrigation, working at comparably low operating pressures and water efficient, suits solar pumping systems best. Yet, it requires that the producer learns new irrigation management skills. The suitability of a particular system configuration for a given farm depends on the water availability, the farm’s specific water requirements, its agricultural production and the producer’s skills and budget.
The human and financial resources required for maintenance should already be considered in the design of the system. As a rule, higher investments in good quality equipment outweigh the time and effort put into maintaining and repairing poor quality equipment.
Figure 1 shows an SPIS configuration where one saves on the costs for the reservoir but spends on the tracking systems. The tracking system enables a relatively stable pump dis-charge which is important, because there is no reservoir to buffer the amount of water going to the field. The water can further be controlled by the valves and by splitting up of the drip irrigation system in sections.
Figure 2 shows another, more common, configuration where water is pumped from the ground and stored in an elevated reservoir. The water goes through the irrigation head, which can be equipped with volumetric valves, and/or a fertigation system. Nevertheless the producer is forced to divide the field into small sections to allow a relatively controlled distribution of water across the field.This SPIS configuration requires relatively little maintenance as the panels and the pump are fixed.
