Techno-Economic Feasibility Use of Portable Solar Irrigation Systems

Abstract

Stable production in the Republic of Serbia is limited by rainfall, which is on the one hand insufficient and on the other hand unevenly distributed throughout the growing season. Therefore, the introduction of irrigation in agricultural production is of great importance because it contributes to the increase in production volume, it improves the quality of crop yields and the economic effects of investments in production. Depending on climatic conditions and the conditions for production, up to 100% higher yields can be obtained by irrigation, while in very dry years up to two or three times higher. Serbia is a member of the Energy community with international obligations regarding the use of renewable energy sources (pursuant to Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of electricity from renewable sources). In accordance with that Directive and the Decision of the Council of Ministers of the Energy Community in 2012 (D/2012/04/ MS - ENZ) and National Renewable Energy Action Plan of the Republic of Serbia ("Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia", No. 53/13) a very ambitious and binding target was set for Serbia of 27% gross final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. A number of national legislative and policy documents point out that increased use of renewable energy sources is a main need and aim in order to improve agriculture and economic development of Serbia.The implementation of solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity is recommended in order to use irrigation systems at affordable prices and save energy, that is, to start and operate the water pump at lower cost. This is particularly important for those areas that are suitable for agricultural production (which can not be intense in the true sense of the word without irrigation), where there is no electric grid, and there are water resources: wells, groundwater, streams, canals, rivers or lakes. Due to low operating costs during use, the solar pump units prove to be more cost-effective than the petrol engine only after the second year of use.