Accepted Manuscript

A financial comparative study of solar and regular irrigation pumps: Case studies in
eastern and southern Iran

Atefeh Parvaresh Rizi, Afshin Ashrafzadeh, Azita Ramezani

PII: S0960-1481(19)30170-3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.02.026
Reference: RENE 11158

To appear in: Renewable Energy

Received Date: 29 April 2018

Revised Date: 17 January 2019
Accepted Date: 5 February 2019

Please cite this article as: Rizi AP, Ashrafzadeh A, Ramezani A, A financial comparative study of solar
and regular irrigation pumps: Case studies in eastern and southern Iran, Renewable Energy (2019), doi:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.02.026.

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 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

Title:

A Financial Comparative Study of Solar and Regular Irrigation Pumps: Case

Studies in Eastern and Southern Iran

Authors:
1- Atefeh Parvaresh Rizi

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Assistant Professor, Irrigation & Reclamation Department, Agriculture & Natural Resources
Campus, University of Tehran, Karaj, 3158777871, Iran.
parvarsh@ut.ac.ir

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2- Afshin Ashrafzadeh
Assistant Professor, Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of

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Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
afshin.ashrafz@gmail.com

3- Azita Ramezani

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Former Graduate Student, Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Faculty of
Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University. Tehran, Iran.
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ramezani.azita@gmail.com

Corresponding author.
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Atefeh Parvaresh Rizi

Assistant Professor, Irrigation & Reclamation Department, Agriculture & Natural Resources
Campus, University of Tehran, Karaj, 3158777871, Iran.
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parvarsh@ut.ac.ir
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Declarations of interest: none

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 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

1 A Financial Comparative Study of Solar and Regular Irrigation Pumps: Case Studies in
2 Eastern and Southern Iran
3

4 Abstract

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5 While pressurized irrigation systems can be effectively powered using renewable energy sources,
6 no serious related study is found in Iran in this regard. In the present study, in two different
7 climatic conditions in Iran, development of small-scale solar irrigation were evaluated financially
8 and compared with that of systems powered by the fossil fuel and electricity grid. Financial

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9 analysis of systems was provided using life cycle cost (LCC) method. Results showed that in the
10 case of 4.5 and 5.5kW pumps (for citrus orchard and a vineyard, respectively), photovoltaic

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11 irrigation pumps with batteries for energy storage are comparable to the systems in which the
12 electricity used to drive pumps is transmitted through 0.25km and 1.8km private lines. It was
13 concluded that, generally, if the required power of irrigation pumps exceeds 3kW, the electricity
14 supplied by a private power transmission line is more affordable than in-situ generated

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15 photovoltaic electricity, if the length of transmission line is less than 2km. It was also observed
16 that for required power less than 4.5kW, photovoltaic energy is somewhat comparable to fossil
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17 fuel. As Iran is dependent upon its highly subsidized fossil fuels, the financing of solar irrigation
18 projects will not be possible without the help of new policies and laws.
Keywords
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20 Solar Irrigation, Water pumps, LCC Analysis, Pressurized irrigation.

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21 Introduction
22 Globally, there has been a significant increase in the uptake of clean energy technologies in
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23 recent times. Solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity alone grew by an estimated 31% in 2015 (about
24 1% of all electricity generation) (International Energy Agency, 2016). Solar PV showed 34 %
25 growth in power generation in 2017 and is well on track to meet its target, which requires
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26 average annual growth of 17 % between 2017 and 2030. Solar photovoltaic power (PV) led the
27 expansion in renewable power generation in 2017, as deployment boomed in China and prices
28 continued to fall (International Energy Agency, 2018). Much of impetus for adoption of clean
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29 energy technologies is a manifestation of policies driven by concerns of energy security,

30 prevention of local pollution and increasing climate benefits. Renewable costs, especially solar
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31 PV, have fallen dramatically in recent years. From 2010 to 2015, costs for new utility-scale solar
32 PV declined by two-thirds. Over 2015-20, new utility-scale solar PV will decline by an
33 additional quarter. These cost reductions are in line with the ETP 2025 targets (International
34 Energy Agency, 2016).
35 In order to meet energy demands and reduce environmental impacts of using fossil-based energy,
36 many researchers around the world have proposed the idea of integrating solar photovoltaic with
37 water pumps. Photovoltaic energy conversion is one of the best ways to harvest the solar energy
38 (Parida et al., 2011; Krauter and Ruther, 2004). Solar irrigation pumps can effectively reduce
39 carbon emissions, and have negligible operation and maintenance costs but require high initial
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1 capital investment (Chandel et al., 2015; Odeh, Yohanis, and Norton, 2006; Sontake and
2 Kalamkar, 2016).
3 Solar pumps have higher initial costs (the retail price of technology) compared to diesel pumps,
4 but lower operation and maintenance costs in long run, offering higher reliability than diesel
5 generators. Capital costs can vary according to each country (based on capacity value, stranded
6 costs related to distributed generation, or compliance with environmental regulations) and each

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7 case study as well (Closasa and Rapb, 2017). It has been reported that photovoltaic water pumps
8 (PWPs) are more suitable for low and medium headwater pumping in off-grid areas.
9 Additionally, it has been concluded that PWPSs are economical in operation only during peak

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10 sunshine hours (Purohit and Michaelowa, 2008). In Egypt, Mahmoud and Nather, (2003)
11 investigated the performance of PWPs which uses batteries for sprinkling and dripping irrigation
12 systems. They concluded that the cost of the water pumped by PWPSs is much less than that of

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13 water pumped using conventional electricity grid and diesel powered pumping methods. They
14 also concluded that PWPs could operate more effectively compared to other traditional irrigation
15 systems during potential sunshine hours. Qoaider and Steinbrecht, (2010) investigated the

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16 technical feasibility of PWPs in the southern Egypt. In their work, the technical design and life
17 cycle cost of PWPs were calculated. The pumping system was designed to pump 111,000 m3 of
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18 water daily to irrigate 1260 ha and to power the adjacent households. They concluded that PWPs
19 are an economically competitive option for supplying energy to off-grid communities in arid
20 regions compared to diesel generation systems. Meah et al., (2008) presented the opportunities
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21 and challenges of PWPs. They suggested that the economy and reliability of PWPs make them
22 more feasible and economical in rural locations facing a shortage of electricity. PWPs have been
23 proven as a technically and economically feasible option in developed nations. Lorenzo et al.
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24 (2018) made a financial evaluation of PV irrigation in ECOWAS (Economic Community of

25 West African States) countries. All economic indicators showed that PV irrigation systems is
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26 better than diesel-powered and grid-powered systems. In India, Santra et al. (2016) conducted an
27 economic analysis of solar PV pumping for irrigation. Their study indicated that solar PV
28 pumping system has additional advantages over other pumping systems.
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29 National Solar Mission in India aspires to develop 22 gigawatts of solar power by 2020 by
30 constructing massive solar power plants. However, India could achieve its solar goal with 2
31 million solar irrigation pumps instead and "put cash in farmers’ hands" in the process. This
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32 approach of selling excess electricity back into the national grid could be used elsewhere in
33 developing and emerging economies to drive significant decreases in CO2 emissions from
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34 pumping groundwater, a shift to more sustainable utilization of groundwater as well as enhanced

35 food security (Rockström et al., 2017). In a research in India, a detailed analysis was presented
36 on technical feasibility, economic viability and equity aspects of solar PV systems. The analysis
37 showed that technology does not generate significant welfare gains to justify heavy capital
38 subsidies to help farmers switch to solar pumps from diesel and electric pumps. (Bassi, 2017).
39 Some researches emphasize on the method of irrigation management during the solar irrigation
40 to achieve economic principles. Shinde and Wandre (2015) showed that photovoltaic pumping
41 for irrigation in Bangladesh is more feasible than diesel pumping system. In an economic
42 viewpoint, PV pumping system for only one season irrigation is a little bit higher than the diesel

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1 system due to high cost of PV module and its components. However, the automation of irrigation
2 systems will largely reduce the gap between requirement and consumed energy. The main gain
3 of their project was optimizing the power usage through water resource management. Ali (2018)
4 investigated the most cost-effective solar water pumping for irrigation in Sudan. Three solar
5 irrigation pumps were considered based on the collector configuration and type of energy
6 conversion. For the feasibility of solar water pumping, he used levelized energy cost as the

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7 economic indicator. He also developed a comparative assessment model based on weather
8 conditions of Sudan. Al-Nabulsia et al., (2018) conducted a research with two scenarios for
9 irrigation water pumping (water demands of 12 and 36 m3/d). The life cycle cost analysis showed

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10 that, for all cases, the total cost of PWPs for 30 years was almost half of the total cost of diesel
11 generator water pumping system. They said that subsidy played a helpful role in making the
12 system further financially attractive.

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13 The geographic and climatic conditions in Iran are very favorable for renewable energy. With a
14 huge land area of 1,648,195 square kilometers, the Alborz Mountains in the North-West, the
15 deserts in the East, the Caspian Sea in the North and the Persian Gulf in the South, it comprises a

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16 wide variety of natural environments. The country enjoys an outstanding DNI (direct normal
17 irradiation) of up to 5.5 kWh/m2/day and an average of 300 sunny days per year. In particular,
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18 Iran’s high level of energy consumption and CO2 emissions and costly electricity production by
19 fossil fuels, which are highly subsidized by the government, are just some of the reasons why
20 Iran’s policymakers could be keen to utilize these natural conditions to attract private sector
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21 investments in the renewable energy market.

22 One of the important factors influencing the performance of solar irrigation pumps is the
23 availability of solar irradiance at a particular location (Chandel et al., 2015). In this respect,
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24 Alamdari et al. (2013), using data gathered from 63 stations across Iran, conducted a feasibility
25 study on using solar energy in the country. They found that the central and southern parts of Iran
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26 have the potential to be used for the production of solar energy. Some researchers focused on
27 special cities. Khorasanizadeh, et al. (2013) evaluated six models to measure daily solar radiation
28 in four cities: Bandarabass, Isfahan, Kerman and Tabass. Such studies suggest that, practically,
29 one of the major challenges for the establishment and development of every site is financing.
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30 Irrigation is vital for agricultural production and food security in Iran. The irrigation sector is
31 also a major user of power in many parts of the world (Gao et al., 2018), and especially in Iran.
32 Remarkable progress on solar PV pumping irrigation technology has been reached and, naturally,
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33 Iran should not stay away from trying to put it on the path. The development of solar irrigation
34 for different fields has the property that rather than creating a centralized and large project of
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35 solar panels that produce a lot of energy and require a lot of investment, it can be implemented
36 using farmers' financial partnerships to provide energy to water pumping systems and farms
37 management.
38 According to the geographic and climatic conditions in Iran and lack of researches of using
39 photovoltaic pumps in agriculture, the study of the application and economic issues of PWPs
40 could be the start of a suitable solution for using clean energy and reducing costs in the
41 agricultural sector. From few studies that have been made recently, we can refer to Niajalili et al.
42 (2017). They studied the economic feasibility of solar irrigation for a paddy field in Iran. The
43 results of their research indicated that the solar PV pumping irrigation is economical and

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1 feasible. On the other hand, the review of the researches in the last decade shows that the number
2 of studies related to the economic and technical feasibility of the implementation of solar
3 irrigation in areas with different characteristics, especially in developing countries, has
4 significantly increased. This indicates the necessity of carrying out these kind of studies to each
5 country in order to facilitate policymaking and to attract the attention of scientific communities.
6 Therefore, the aim of present research is to investigate using PWPs in Iran in a financial

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7 viewpoint. Specifically, the objectives are:
8 1. Financial comparison between PWPs and current diesel driven systems in two different
9 climatic conditions.

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10 2. Financial comparison between PWPs and electricity sources for off-grid farms that are
11 not supplied with electricity yet and may be equipped with this source of energy in the
12 future.

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13 3. Providing a general analysis of effective economic factors on the choice of type of energy
14 for pumping systems from users’ view.
15 4. Explore the obstacles of development and policymaking for solar irrigation in Iran.

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16 5. The Interaction between irrigation system design and the choice of solar pump and its
17 components is important and has a significant effect on the financial analysis of the
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18 system. In this research, technical design of the irrigation system for three types of pumps
19 with different energy sources and pump selection has been initially carried out. Then,
20 based on various combinations of design options and operation of the pumping system
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21 and irrigation system, the pump's power range was determined for the cost-effectiveness
22 of using the solar pump. This issue has not been raised in similar researches.
23 Favorable policies and subsidies by government are key to help research, investment and
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24 acceptance of solar irrigation. They provide a technically robust and economically viable
25 system for commercial scaling-up in applications of solar irrigation (Gao et al., 2018). Since
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26 there have been nearly no aimed studies in Iran, the results of the present study can be useful
27 as an example of the economic capabilities and problems of the development of solar
28 irrigation for those who refer to academic research.
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29 Materials and methods

30 PWPs consist of solar photovoltaic panels, a motor and a pump (Fig. 1). Depending on the
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31 system design, it requires storage batteries and a charge regulator. The motor is chosen according
32 to power requirement and the type of current output of the system. If motor uses alternative
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33 current (AC), it is necessary to install a direct current (DC) to AC converter. Battery-less PWPs
34 are low cost and require less maintenance compared to battery-powered systems. However, the
35 storage batteries have the advantage of providing consistent performance during lean and off
36 sunshine hours. Adding a water storage tank to PWPs is more economical than battery storage
37 backup. PWPs are a suitable option for countries located in tropical regions, where direct solar
38 radiation may reach up to 1000 W/m2 like Iran.

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1

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2 Figure1. Layout of PWPSs to supply energy for drip irrigation
3 Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA):

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4 LCCA assess the total cost of facility ownership. It takes into account all costs of acquiring,
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5 owning, and disposing of a system. LCCA is designed to estimate the overall costs of a project
6 and its alternatives to select the design that ensures the facility will provide the lowest overall
7 cost of ownership. LCCA is especially useful when project alternatives that fulfill the same
8 performance requirements but differ with aspect to initial costs and operating costs, have to be
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9 compared in order to select the one that maximizes net savings.

10 In the present research, LCCA was implemented for the current system (diesel and electric
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11 driven pumps) and its alternative (PV pump system). There are two main reasons to implement
12 Life Cycle Cost Analysis: 1) to compare different power options and 2) to determine the most
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13 cost-effective system designs.

14 PV system produces power where there was no power before. For this type of application, the
15 initial cost of the system is the main concern. However, even if PV power is the only option,
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16 LCCA can be helpful for comparing costs of different designs and/or determining whether diesel
17 powered pump system would be a cost-effective option. LCCA allows studying the effect of
18 using different components with different reliabilities and lifetimes. For instance, a less
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19 expensive battery might be expected to last 4 years while a more expensive battery might last 7
20 years. Which battery is the best buy? This type of question can be answered with LCCA. For
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21 systems such as PWPs, fueled generators, or extending utility power lines, the initial costs of
22 these options will be different as well as the costs of operation, maintenance, and repair or
23 replacement. To be included in the LCCA, any item must be assigned a cost, even though there
24 are considerations to which a monetary value is not easily attached. For instance, the cost of a
25 gallon of diesel fuel may be known; the cost of storing the fuel at the site may be estimated with
26 reasonable confidence; but the cost of pollution caused by the generator may require an educated
27 guess. In addition, competing power systems will differ in performance and reliability. To obtain
28 a good comparison, the reliability and performance must be the same. This can be done by
29 upgrading the design of the least reliable system to match the power availability of the best. In

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1 some cases, we may have to include the cost of redundant components to make the reliability of
2 two systems equal, but this issue was not considered relevant to this case. For instance, if it takes
3 one month to completely rebuild a diesel generator, we should include the cost of a replacement
4 unit in the LCC calculation. It is important to distinguish between the economic costs and
5 benefits of irrigation and drainage development and the financial costs and benefits. The
6 economic analysis considers the benefit to society and government in general, while the financial

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7 analysis looks at the actual monetary transactions that take place. The financial analysis is
8 normally made for the operating authority and for farmers (Burton, 2010). The present study
9 aims to economically evaluate the use of solar energy for irrigation pumps and compare

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10 traditional irrigation systems with those powered by solar energy. This evaluation actually
11 measures the financial ability of farmers to create new irrigation systems in small-scale farms.
12 Environmental related costs (such as carbon emission due to utilizing fossil energy), which are

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13 usually an important part of LCCA in macroeconomics, was not considered in our study.
14 The life-cycle cost of both alternatives listed in this project can be calculated using the following
15 equations:

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16 LCC=TRc +Tcap (1)
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17 TRC =TW1 +TPW (2)
18 T = ∑(Pa × Ca) (3)
T = ∑(Pr × Cr )
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19 (4)
 
20 Pr = ( ) (5)

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21 Pa = 1 − ( )  (6)
 
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22 where LCC: Initial monetary investment and the long-term (after n years) expense of owning and
23 operating the irrigation pump, TRC: All annual costs, TCap: Initial costs include equipment and
24 installation, TW1: Repair and maintenance costs, TPW: All one-time payment costs (replacement
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25 parts), Pa: Annual payment coefficient, Ca: Each annual cost (based on today’s cost or at year 0),
26 Pr: One-time payment coefficient, Cr: Each one-time payment (based on today’s cost or at year
27 0), b: Inflation rate, r: Bank interest rate n: The number of years into the future.
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28 In this study, the life-cycle period of three types of pumps (diesel, electric, and solar) is
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29 considered 20 years and calculations are made based on an inflation rate of 17% and interest rate
30 of 13%. Inflation rate in Iran has a lot of fluctuation. For example, between 2010 and 2018, this
31 value has varied between 34.7% and 9 % (Central Bank of Iran). The average of these values is
32 about 17 %. In economic theories, there is a significant relationship between interest rate and
33 inflation rate. Interest rate was also estimated from the Central Bank statistics for bank profit as
34 well as the bank interest reduction for investment in the development projects. The reality is that
35 the proposed methodology in this study should be repeated for each solar irrigation project with
36 real time interest rates and inflation.
37 - Electric pumps costs:

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1 Tcap= Includes the cost of split and electromotor and electrical panel and cable and power split
2 Private power line costs= Distance (km) to national electricity grid × cost of a kilometer power
3 line
4 TRC = Costs (annual maintenance and repair + fuel consumption of power plant + loss of
5 transmission lines + annual electricity consumption)

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6 Cost of casualties= Annual consumption cost × 2%
7 Cost of fuel consumption of the factory = desired Power in kW.h× Average cost of every kW.h

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8 Costs of repairs = Cost of fuel consumption of the factory × 0.08
9 - Diesel pumps costs:

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10 The life cycle cost of diesel-powered engine consists of capital and recurrent cost. The capital
11 costs comprise diesel engine and pump set as well as other installation costs. On the other hand,
12 the recurrent costs include fuel and lubrication, spare parts, pump and engine replacements, labor

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13 costs for maintenance.
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14 Tcap= Cost of diesel pump + Cost of constructing the installation site + Cost of pump transferring
15 and installation.
16 Cost of pump transferring and installation= (cost of diesel pump + cost of constructing the
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17 installation site) ×0.1

18 TRC = total repair cost after 10 years + fuel consumption + lubrication costs
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19 (Total repair cost = Diesel pump equivalent cost after 10 years)

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20

21 - PV water pumping system costs:

22 A typical PV system includes the following major components:
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23 TCap = Costs (Electromotor+ Follower + Solar array + Charging Controller + Battery +

24 Controller + Installation)
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25 Solar Costs = Total Costs for Panels × 1.06

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26 Installation cost = Total equipment costs× 0.1

27 TRC = Costs (Every 6 Years of Battery Replacement + Local Inspection)
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29 The characteristics of two diesel and electric pumps, as the alternatives for the irrigation projects,
30 are proposed in table 1. Table 2 shows the characteristics of the selected photovoltaic pump as
31 well. In this paper, details of irrigation design calculations are not presented. Nevertheless, the
32 criteria for selecting alternative of pumps are explained in case study section.

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1 Case studies:
2 Jahrom is a city of Fars Province, southern Iran. The city is located at 53° 33´ N and 28° 30´,
3 1050 meters above sea level. Horticulture, especially citrus orchards, is the main source of
4 income for people in this area. Although this city is located in an arid area, due to the
5 mountainous nature of the region, its equilibrium is in balance. Hence, Jahrom has a steppe
6 climate and its different parts have different weather conditions.

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7 Kashmar is located in the southwest of Khorasan Razavi Province, one of the most eastern
8 provinces of Iran. The city has an area of 4370 square kilometers. It is located at 35° 14´ N and
9 58° 28´ E. The height of this city is 1052 meters above the sea level. The weather in the city of

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10 Kashmar varies considerably in the vicinity of the highlands and the desert. Moreover, the
11 existence of high mountains in the north of the city has caused the northern regions to have
12 rather cold weather, but the southern parts of the city are exposed to hot and dry weather in the

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13 desert. Because of the climatic and natural conditions of the region such as lack of humidity and,
14 on the other hand, high temperatures and sunny days, the evaporation at the city level is
15 relatively high. The main product of this city is grapes.

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16 Based on drip irrigation design, the amount of the maximum required head and flow for both
projects is almost similar. Therefore, in all three alternative of energy sources for pumps
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17
18 (electric, diesel and solar pump), the same pumps are considered for both projects in Kashmar
19 And Jahrom. Maximum required head is 28 meters. It is including 17m in the beginning of the
20 main line, 9m to compensate energy losses in central system of drip irrigation and 2m for the
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21 local and longitudinal losses in the pipes. The maximum required discharge is about 5.6 lps. The
22 use of pump in these projects is only to supply the required head for drip irrigation for citrus
23 orchard and vineyard and irrigation water is supplied from a surface water reservoir. Clearly, if
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24 the level of reservoir is very low related to the level of the beginning of main pipe and/or it is
25 necessary to pump from a well to supply water requirement, more head is needed. Consequently,
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26 the chosen models of pump, initial costs and costs of the projects during the life cycle would be
27 different totally. It is worth to mention that in most decentralized solar systems implemented for
28 irrigation, it is not possible to consider high power for pumping, because the initial costs would
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29 be increase sharply. Therefore, solar irrigation is implemented for low-pressure irrigation system
30 or/and for pumping from low-depth wells.
31 In this study, there was a lot of diversity in terms of the model and the size of the pump in each
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32 energy source option. In general, the selection of the appropriate pump in each project is a
33 function of the hydraulic design of the project, availability, price and quality of the pumps in the
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34 market. In this paper, in addition to providing hydraulic needs with the highest available
35 efficiency, we have attempted to select the high quality pumps in the Iranian market.
36 Accordingly, the required pumps were selected (tables 1 and 2).
37 Table 1. Characteristics of selected diesel (diesel fuel) and electric pumps
Characteristics of electric pump Characteristics of diesel pump
Description Characteristics Description Characteristics

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Pump type WkL50 Pump type RobinPKX320,3 in

The power 2.7 kw The power 5.7HP
Pumping height (m) 28 Maximum pumping height (m) 28
3 3
Discharge (m /hr) 20 Maximum discharge (m /hr) 66
impeller diameter (mm) 150 (145) Fuel tank capacity of 3.5 liters 3.2 lit

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Efficiency 56% The work time of each full tank 1.8h
Engine rpm 2900rpm

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1 Table 2. Characteristics of Selected Solar Pump DC (Direct Current)
Descriptions Characteristics

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Maximum head 40m
Pump
Maximum discharge 23m3/h
Maximum power 4KW
Maximum input voltage 375V

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Controller
Maximum motor current 15A
Maximum efficiency 0.98
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Maximum power 3.5KW
Engine Maximum efficiency 0.92
Engine speed 900-3300 rpm
2 Results
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3 In this section, the results of the financial analysis for two solar drip irrigation schemes (Jahrom
4 and Kashmar) are presented. In addition, some solutions to reduce the costs of projects are
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5 discussed. First, daily solar radiation power was calculated in different months using Cropwat
6 software. Results demonstrate that the average annual solar radiation of Jahrom and Kashmar
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7 region is 5.5 and 5 kW.h/m2 respectively.

8 Any change in design and operation parameters causes the change in required power for the
9 project (such as pipe layout in irrigation plan, irrigation scheduling, doing irrigation in night or
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10 day, using battery to store solar energy, access to the national electricity grid, …). Consequently
11 needed equipment for solar irrigation and their price will also be varied. We have considered all
12 these factors in the design steps and have analyzed different logical combinations of them
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13 financially. Regarding to the importance of irrigation management, irrigation parts and hours can
14 be considered in different ways:
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15 Method 1: The system is designed to irrigate during sunny times. In this method, by reducing
16 the total number of irrigation during day, the size of pump, pipes and fittings should be larger
17 that will definitely cost more. If PWPs are used in this case, design can be done in two ways:
18 A. The power of system should be considered in a way that arrays are capable of providing
19 desired power in more hours of the day. In this way, in one hand, more arrays are needed
20 and costs grow, and on the other hand, extra power will be generated at peak solar energy
21 hours, which may cause excessive charge on pump controller and damage.

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1 B. Using batteries is a way to store energy in the early hours of day when irrigation has not
2 started. In this case, the battery life- cycle generally ranges between 2-6 years, but if a
3 maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control charger is used, it will be close to 6
4 years. In this type of design, the least capacity of the battery will be needed.
5 Method 2: If the system is such that there are hours of irrigation at both night and day, it is
6 better to use a battery with more capacity for storing energy in night. The results of calculations

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7 related to the number and type of equipment for irrigation in day hours are shown in table 3.
8 In order to analyze the price of electrical systems during the period of study, it is necessary to

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9 have information such as the amount of payment for energy and electricity, system usage times
10 and the duration of use. The Comparison of different possible modes in three considered types of
11 systems for citrus orchard and vineyard are shown in table 4 and 5, respectively.

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12 Table 3. Calculations of the number and type of equipment for irrigation in the day
Grapes Orange
Without Using battery Without Using

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battery battery battery
Productive power (w) 7245 5474 6037.5 4508
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Maximum power of each module (w) 80.5 80.5 80.5 80.5
Maximum power of each series (w) 241.5 322 241.5 322
Number of series obtained 30 17 25 14
Number of modules 90 68 75 56
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Modules Area (m2) 89.8 67.9 74.9 55.9

Total battery number 34 28
Total controller charge 17 14
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Approximate total production voltage (V) 360 374 300 308

Approximate amount of generated current (A) 17.4 11 17.4 11
Number of Followers 30 17 25 14
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Total Followers Area (m2) 120 102 100 84

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14 Table 4. Comparison of possible modes in three types of pump systems (citrus orchard)
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LCC
Row Description
(dollars)
F1 PWPs using battery and irrigating during the day (simultaneous storage and battery
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478.3
usage)
B1 Electric pump in the distance of 0.25 km. from electricity grid 477.4
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F2 PWPs using battery and irrigating at night (storage of total required energy) 588.0
B2 Electric pump in the distance of 1.2 km. from electricity grid 590.5
F3 PWPs without battery 431.5
B5 Electric pump in the vicinity of electricity grid 447.6
B4 Electric pump (without consideration of fuel costs of the power plant) in the vicinity
218.1
of the electricity grid
*
G1 Diesel pump with an inflation rate of 20% for gasoline and 17% for other items 189.0
F4 PWPs without follower and battery 191.0
F5 PWPs with battery, irrigating during the day and without followers 281.8

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*
G2 Diesel pump with an inflation rate of 17% for gasoline and the other items 156.7
1 *As fuel price are considerably dependent on interior and foreign policies, different inflation rates are
2 considered for using diesel pumps.
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4 Table 5. Comparison of different possible modes in three types of pump systems (vineyard)

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LCC
Row Description
(Dollars)
F1 PWPs using battery and irrigating during the day (simultaneous storage and battery
565.5
usage)

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B1 Electric pump in the distance of 1.8 km from electricity grid 573.6
F2 PWPs using battery and irrigating at night (storage total required energy) 698.6
B2 Electric pump in the distance of 2.9 km from electricity grid 704.6

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F3 PWPs without battery 633.0
B3 Electric pump in the distance of 2.3 km from electricity grid 633.1
F4 PWPs without follower and battery 257.8

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B4 Electric pump (without consideration of fuel costs of the power plant) in the
265.0
distance of 0.4 Km. from branching
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*
G1 Diesel pump with an inflation rate of 26.5% for gasoline and 17% for other items 258.9
F5 PWPs with battery, irrigating during the day and without followers 326.8
*
G2 Diesel pump with an inflation rate of 17% for gasoline and the other items
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135.6
B5 Electric pump in the vicinity electricity grid 359.3
5 *As fuel price are considerably dependent on interior and foreign policies, different inflation rates are
considered for using diesel pumps
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7 According to Tables 4 and 5, price of PWPs without battery and the follower (as the cheapest
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8 type of PWPs) for citrus orchard is nearly equal to an electric pump, regardless of the fuel cost of
9 power plant in the vicinity of branching (which is the cheapest mode of the electric system).
10 However, with increasing power for the vineyard, the cost of this mode is almost the same with
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11 an electric pump without taking into account the fuel cost of power plant at a distance of 0.4 km
12 from the branch. Consequently, by increasing the power, only in one condition of increasing
13 power split distance, a PWPs can be comparable with an electric system. In addition, for high
14 power, in order to make the PV system more affordable than fuel one, the fuel inflation rate
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15 should increase. In this research fuel inflation rate has increased from 20% to 26.5% as a result
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16 of increasing PV power. Thus, with this amount of fuel inflation rates, using diesel fuel is more
17 affordable than two other systems. Unless, matters such as the importance of the environment,
18 the completion of fossil fuels and the problems of transporting diesel fuel to the farm, justify the
19 use of solar and electric systems.
20 Ameri et al. (2005) analyzed the use of solar pumps in Kerman Province for different power
21 requirements for water pumping. The results showed that solar pumps could compete with some
22 diesel engines for power less than 2 kW, but could not be compared to power above 2 kW and
23 for high power and low distances; they are not as economical as electric pumps. This result
24 partly matches with the results of this research.

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1 The studied parameters in this research are all parameters that are effective in the financial
2 analysis of implementation and operation of each pumping system for a farmer. The details of
3 the costs for providing and operating these three types of irrigation pumps are not stable on the
4 Iranian market and, especially in the last decade, it is mostly a function of the fluctuations in the
5 price of currency in the country. It is also more uncertain to predict price changes in items that
6 are not manufactured inside the country. On the other hand, the effective factors in the LCC of

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7 solar irrigation are different with effective factors in conventional methods (electric pump and
8 diesel pump). Therefore, it seems that it is better to show the sensitivity for effective factors in
9 costs in the form of Table 6. This table gives priority to the selection of the type of pump in order

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10 to choose the pump type by the farmers. According to the calculations carried out in the study
11 and the costs’ list that were obtained in the time of study, the factors are sorted based on their
12 ability to generate financial constraints for each method. In The third column of table 6, the

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13 importance of each factor is mentioned from high to weak.
14 Table 6. The importance of affecting factors in financial analysis of small-scale solar irrigation
15 systems in Iran

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The preference of
Level of
selecting energy source Priority of financial constrains
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importance
for irrigation pumps
Distance to national electricity grid High
The availability of pumps and other instruments needed for Moderate
Electricity
implementing and operating the irrigation system
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Annual energy costs in the period of operation Low

The availability of pumps and other instruments needed for Moderate
Diesel implementing and operating the system
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Supplying fuel and the cost of fuel in the period of operation Low
Preparing necessary pieces of equipment needed for High
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generating solar power

Preparing necessary pieces of equipment needed for saving High
Solar
solar power and enhancing the efficiency of power generation
The availability of pumps and other instruments needed for
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implementing and operating the irrigation system Moderate

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17 Discussion
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18 According to the results obtained for PV power requirements of 4.5 and 5.5 kW for a condition
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19 in which arrays are fixed and battery is used to store energy, the PWPs is more cost effective
20 than the electric system (in the vicinity of electricity grid), but by increasing the power required,
21 the current PWPs is not viable financially. The diesel fuel pump with fuel inflation rate of 17% is
22 cheaper than the photovoltaic and electric system. But by reducing the power required by the
23 plan or increasing the fuel inflation rate (or eliminating energy subsidies), the solar system will
24 be affordable. Needless to say, the calculations performed in the research are carried out in a
25 condition that fossil fuel and electric subsidies are significantly high in Iran. Now if some of this
26 subsidy is given to the new energy sector, the cost of solar pumps, even at high powers and low
27 distances, will be competitive with the cost of diesel and electric pumps.

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1 In one hand due to rising bank interest rates and decreasing investing rate on PV systems as a
2 result and the low cost of electricity and fuel for consumers, the PWPs has no financial viability
3 in Iran. On the other hand, due to the fact that in Iran most of the components of these systems
4 are imported and strongly dependent on the exchange rate of U.S. Dollar against Iranian Rial, the
5 currency exchange fluctuations have a huge impact on the existence or absence of cost-effective
6 implementation of these systems.
7 Having excellent geographic and topographic conditions, governments should provide attractive

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8 feed-in tariffs offer investors a new, untapped market with a high rate of return. In turn, Iran can
9 reduce its dependency on finite oil and gas reserves while at the same time increase their exports.

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10 Despite advantages such as reducing greenhouse gases emission, it is important to note that solar
11 power is more expensive than electricity from existing conventional power sources. As Iran is
12 dependent upon its fossil fuels, the transition from fossil fuels to renewable requires the adoption

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13 of a comprehensive policy and integrated. Indeed, such objectives should be included and could
14 be achieved through regulation, a policy or program such as the establishment of stable and long-
15 term tax incentives for the development of sustainable solar energy. Such tax incentives can
16 drive economic growth while reducing prices and creating jobs in a country.

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17 Despite all the benefits that solar energy could be involved in the agricultural sector of Iran, a
18 very large and growing sector, this source of energy has not been appreciated until recent years.
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19 With a review of the experiences of other developing countries, some of which have come to the
20 introduction of this paper, the Iranian contribution to the use of this energy in rural and
21 agricultural sectors is about zero. The existence of huge energy sources in Iran (oil and gas) has
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22 eroded clean energy development policies. On the other hand, the growing demand for electrical
23 energy development (in form of hydropower or through a thermal power plant) is increasing
24 environmental challenges. Although there is considerable subsidies for energy consumption in
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25 Iran and subsidizing electricity consumption in the agricultural sector (for use in pumping
26 systems) is relatively high, there is no policy to allocate subsidies to the development of
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27 renewable energies (such as solar irrigation). It may be possible to say that instead of financial
28 issues, factors such as flaws associated with policies on energy use, relying on the oil reserves,
29 and neglecting the experience of other countries are main parameters in neglecting renewable
30 energies in Iran.
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31 Another issue is also important for the development of local solar irrigation: subsidy is necessary
32 to implement the solar irrigation system for farmers with small farmlands but it is not enough.
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33 Robust policy support and continuous cost reductions in many countries are expected to drive a
34 rapid growth in solar PV over the next five years (International Energy Agency, 2018). However,
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35 this cost reduction is not enough to convince farmers to switch to solar energy based systems.
36 Most pieces of equipment are not made in the country and appropriate technical and post-sale
37 services are not provided. The cost of different parts of the system is highly dependent to the
38 currency exchange rate, which is in turn a function of international polices and sanctions
39 imposed against Iran. These factors adversely affect decisions to invest in the field of renewable
40 energies in Iran. In a financial view, it is possible to have difference results over the next six
41 months or year. However, the outcome of such researches is not expected to justify investing in
42 solar irrigation, and considering the current situations in Iran, this type of energy cannot play an
43 important role in irrigation in the near future.

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1 Acknowledgement

2 This research was supported by Iran National Science Foundation (INSF), grant no. 87041044.
3 The Authors gratefully acknowledge their financial support.

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Highlights

• Comparison of the use of electric and diesel pumps with solar irrigation
• LCC Analysis for Solar Pumps in Pressurized Irrigation
• Investigating the Economic Factors Affecting the Use of Solar Irrigation in

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Iran
• Emphasize on the role of macro policies in encouraging the use of renewable

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energies

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