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Experimental Performance Evaluation of a PV-Powered Center-Pivot Irrigation System for a Three-Year Operation Period

Author

Listed:
  • Juan Ignacio Herraiz

    (Instituto de Energía Solar–Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Nicola Tesla s/n, 28031 Madrid, Spain
    Qualifying Photovoltaics, C/Alan Turing 1, 28031 Madrid, Spain)

  • Rita Hogan Almeida

    (Instituto de Energía Solar–Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Nicola Tesla s/n, 28031 Madrid, Spain)

  • Manuel Castillo-Cagigal

    (Qualifying Photovoltaics, C/Alan Turing 1, 28031 Madrid, Spain)

  • Luis Narvarte

    (Instituto de Energía Solar–Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Nicola Tesla s/n, 28031 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

High-power diesel-based or grid-connected irrigation systems are being replaced by battery-free, high-power stand-alone Photovoltaic Irrigation Systems (PVIS) that reduce energy costs by up to 80% and for which no experimental performance data are available. The operation of PVIS is affected by various factors, some unrelated to the quality of the PV system itself, that generate losses that affect their performance: losses that vary with the crop and its irrigation period, losses intrinsic to the PVIS design, and losses that happen as a consequence of the behavior of the end-user. To better understand the impact of each type of loss, the traditional performance ratio was factorized. This paper provides the PV community with experimental data on the performance of a battery-free 160 kWp PV-powered constant-pressure center-pivot irrigation system. The system was analyzed over three years of real operation, during which the performance ratio ranged from 49.0 to 53.2%.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:9:p:3654-:d:1131408
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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