Solar Panels in Agriculture
We know that a happy farmer 👨🌾 greatly influences agricultural productivity. When a farmer faces financial issues, particularly due to factors like high irrigation expenses 💵, it becomes important to explore methods for maximizing savings and increasing land or crops productivity.
In this blog, we will share the experience of an agriculture landowner. We will discuss his expectations regarding solar panels, scope of solar panels in agriculture system, his average daily electricity usage, the savings or expenses he has encountered, and much more. Our team of experts recently visited his agricultural site to gathered firsthand information. Stay tuned for the valuable insights.
Key Takeaways
What factors motivated you to choose a solar system for your land?
Below are the key factors that prompted me to use solar panels in agriculture farming:
- Barren land and no natural source of irrigation 🚿
- No electricity ⚡
- Rising fuel prices 💹
Barren land and no natural source of irrigation
Actually, he obtained a contracted land from the government. This land is bit away from the city and had been barren for a long time. Let me quote his message:
You know, when it comes to barren land, irrigation is very crucial for farming. Barren land lacks plants and water sources, so it’s dry and doesn’t have the natural resources or nutrients that help crops to grow. That’s where irrigation steps in. By providing water directly to the plants 🌱, we can make them grow, and develop into healthy crops. But for this I needed continuous source of water at a very low cost. And in that case, what could be better than a solar powered irrigation system?
What is solar powered irrigation?
Here comes the utilization of solar panels in irrigation system to cope with the rising electricity and other fuel (e.g. diesel) expenses/bills. Solar powered irrigation systems utilize solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity, which can then be used to operate tube well, pumps, sprinklers, or drip irrigation systems.
No electricity
In this area, there is no power grid system or access to electricity. As a result, I had to rely on alternative resources such as solar panels or fuel.
Rising fuel prices
Like I mentioned, I had to opt for an alternative energy source. Initially, I considered diesel ⛽ as the primary source of energy. However, due to its rising prices, I had to switch to solar panels.
These factors motivated me to choose a solar PV system for my land. Solar powered irrigation system is really a game changer for any farmer or agriculture land owner.
How did you calculate your solar system size?
My major concern was again the irrigation system. I own 25 acres for farming. Therefore, I needed to install a 20-25 horse power water motor (tube well). One of the solar experts visited my site and suggested me to go with a 18/22kW solar system. Therefore, I now have:
- 34 Longi bifacial plates (each with 525W power)
- Invt 18/22kW inverter
How much water do you provide to the land each day?
We aim to cover 2 acres per day, and I must say we easily achieve this. It takes almost 2 weeks to water the entire 25-acre land. And guess what? This costs nothing 😊. That is the importance and utilization of solar panels in agriculture.
Why you opted for Longi solar panels for your agriculture land?
It was budget friendly, and since I was going to install solar panels on a large space with direct sunlight access, I purchased Longi bifacial solar panels. Moreover, they have 25 years performance warranty and giving me expected results.
Solar panels in agriculture – maintenance and system errors
We enhance solar panels performance and optimization to better absorb sunlight by cleaning them with water and using a soft wiper to remove any dirt. Since, my area is more dusty, We wash them every other day.
As far as errors are concerned, we only encountered one incident. It was a wiring issue that caused a connectivity problem between the solar panels and the inverter. Called an electrician and got it fixed.
Is it worth rotating solar panels?
Yes, although rotating stands cost high, they will directly impact (speed up) your return on investment (ROI). You have the freedom to move your solar panels in the direction of the sun ☀️ to utilize maximum sunlight and generate maximum current.
What were your expectations regarding the usage of solar panels in agriculture?
Like I mentioned earlier, our main goal was to run a 20-25HP water pump (tube well). I was expecting to run it during the daytime continuously. So far, I am happy 😃 with the results. However, I am further considering expanding the number of solar panels in my Solar PV system.
What is the cost of setting up a solar plant on agricultural land?
It costed me around 18 lac PKR. That covered following items:
- Solar panels
- Inverter
- Rotating solar panel stands
One stand covers 6 plates so, I ordered 6 rotatable stands.
How long you have been using Solar Panels in Agriculture farm?
It’s been 3 years since I installed this solar system for our agriculture farm. Faced no major issue since then. Only have to do cleanliness 🧼 every other day.
Are you receiving a return on investment (ROI)?
Yes, like mentioned earlier, my main concern was the irrigation system. And with this one time investment, I am saving bills every day enjoying seasonal crops without literally any expense. Let me share how much expense one can save after installing a solar system:
How much fuel (diesel) does a water pump cost?
The irrigation cost for 1 acre of land with a wheat crop is approximately 6,000 PKR, and for 25 acres, it amounts to 150,000 PKR. A wheat crop is typically irrigated around 5 times until it is ready to be harvested. This results in a total irrigation expense of 750,000 PKR. I save this much of amount on wheat crop.
Conclusion
I think going solar was one of my best decisions right after when I contracted this land from Government. It is still helping overcome all the challenges that a barren land may have, especially in an area with no electricity and high diesel ⛽ costs. Moreover, I am pleased with what this land is producing (crops).
Yes, for the first time you have to pay a high cost for this solar system. But it is one time investment with 100% ROI. I would suggest to the agriculture land owners and farmers to consider solar panels in agriculture farming.
Do you have any questions?
If you have any queries regarding solar panels in agriculture system or farming, please feel free to raise in the comments or email 📧 us at support@thesolarpedia.com. Our solar PV experts will surely assist you with those queries.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Which solar panel is best for agriculture in Pakistan?
Longi is the most demanded solar panel for agriculture farming. It is budget friendly. Moreover, the degradation process of Longi panels is very slow.
Which solar system is recommended for a 20-25 horse power water turbine (tube well)?
A 18kW system would be a good choice for a 20 to 25 HP water turbine.
