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oxZxr fo"kerkvksa dks nwj djrs gq, euq"; dks bu
lcls Åij mBkrh gSA”
 bfUnjk xka/kh

The Awareness programme on Solar Water Pumping System

has been developed by the School of Agriculture (SOA), Indira
Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi with the
Academic Support of International Solar Alliance (ISA).

“Education is a liberating force, and in our

age it is also a democratising force, cutting
across the barriers of cast and class,
smoothing out inequalities imposed by birth
and other circumstances.”
-Indira Gandhi
 Programme Structure
StructureContents
AWARENESS PROGRAMME ON SOLAR WATER
PUMPING SYSTEM

1. SOLAR ENERGY AND ITS APPLICATION

2. SOLAR WATER PUMP AND ITS COMPONENTS

3. OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY

1
PROGRAMME DESIGN COMMITTEE
Prof. Ravindra Kumar, Dr. O. A. Sastry, Sr. Consultant
Former Vice Chancellor International Solar Alliance (ISA)
IGNOU, New Delhi-110 068, India. 4th Floor, Surya Bhawan, NISE Campus,
Gwal Pahari, Gurugram, Haryana-122 003 India.
Dr. Upendra Tripathy, Interim Director
General, International Solar Alliance, Dr. Praveen Saxena, CEO, Skill Council for Green
4th Floor, Surya Bhawan, NISE Campus, Jobs, 3rd Floor, CBIP Building, Malcha Marg,
Gwal Pahari, Gurugram, Haryana- Chanakyapuri, New Delhi -110 021, India.
122003, India.
Dr. A.K. Tripathy, Director General, Dr. Bibek Bandopadhyaya, Senior Adviser, USAID
National Institute of Solar Energy, NISE PACE D Technical Assistance Program, South Delhi,
Campus, Gwal Pahari, Gurugram, Delhi, India.
Haryana – 122 003, India.
Dr. R.K. Pandey, Director General, Mr. Sumit Gupta, Founder & CEO
National Power Training Institute, Pragya Solar, J M Orchid, Sector -76, Noida-201301.
Ministry of Power, GoI, NPTI
Dr. M.K. Salooja, Director
Complex, Sector-33,
School of Agriculture, IGNOU, New Delhi-110 068.
Faridabad-1210 03 (Haryana).
Dr. Y.B.K. Reddy, Sr. Manager (Solar) Dr. Rakhi Sharma, Director, School of Engineering
Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. and Technology, IGNOU, New Delhi-110 068.
(A Govt. of India Enterprise), 1st Floor, Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Assistant Professor,
D-3, A Wing, Prius Platinum Building School of Agriculture, IGNOU, New Delhi-110 068.
District Centre, Saket,
New Delhi-110 017.
Programme Coordinators : Dr. Mukesh Kumar and Prof. M.K. Salooja

MODULE PREPARATION TEAM

Writer
Dr. Mukesh Kumar,
Assistant Professor
School of Agriculture,
IGNOU, New Delh- 110 068
Editor Language Editors
Dr. O. A. Sastry, Sr. Consultant 1. Dr. P. Vijayakumar
International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assistant Professor, SoA.
4th Floor, Surya Bhawan, NISE 2. Dr. Parmod Kumar,
Campus, Gwal Pahari, Gurugram- Associate Professor, SoH,
122003 (Haryana). IGNOU, New Delhi.

MATERIAL PRODUCTION
September, 2018

© Indira Gandhi National Open University, 2018.

ISBN-978-93-89969-32-0

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form, by mimeograph or any other means,
without permission in writing from the Copyright holder.
Further information on the Indira Gandhi National Open University courses may be obtained from the University’s
office at Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110 068 or the official website of IGNOU at www.ignou.ac.in.
Printed and published on behalf of Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi by Director, School of
Agriculture.

Cover page designed by Ms. Geetika Duggal

2
 Structure
1.0 Introduction
MODULE 1 1.1 Objectives
1.2 Basics of Solar Energy Production
1.2.1 Solar Energy
1.2.2 Advantages of Solar Energy
Solar Energy 1.3 Production of Solar Electricity
and its 1.3.1 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Technology

Applications 1.3.2 Advantages of Solar PV Technology

1.3.3 Applications of Solar PV Technology
1.3.4 Factors affecting Solar Power Production
1.4 Applications of Solar Energy
1.4.1 Solar Thermal
1.4.2 Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
1.4.3 Solar PV Water Pumping System
1.5 Importance of Irrigation in Agriculture
1.6 Let Us Sum UP
1.7 Self-Assessment Questions and Answers
1.8 Keywords
1.9 Suggested Readings

3
1.0 INTRODUCTION

The whole world is dependent on energy in one form or another. We depend

on energy right from lighting to water supply, to food preparation and up to
launching of satellites. Advancements in agricultural mechanization has led to
improvement in rural livelihood and food security. In developing countries, grid-
based electricity and diesel are used to carry out agricultural operations. There
are issues associated with these traditional sources of energy for examples,
diesel is a fossil fuel which is fast depleting and pollutes the environment.
Further, the operational cost of diesel power is considerably high when
compared to hydro-electricity which is less expensive and non-polluting.
However, hydro power facilities could have environment impacts.

Now the question arises, would it not be useful to have clean, non-polluting
source of energy at an affordable cost?

Well, solar energy is the answer. The energy from sun responsible for
sustaining life on the earth. It is a renewable source of energy, non-polluting,
available almost everywhere on earth and is affordable.

The sun, which is the main source of all forms of energy on the earth can now
be directly tapped to meet the energy requirements for different sectors
including agriculture. Solar energy is especially beneficial for those countries
located between tropic of Cancer and Capricorn because of the availability of
high intensity solar radiation for more number of days in these geographical
areas i.e. more than 300 days a year.

4
Fig. 1.1: Countries located between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic
Capricorn which receive sun light throughout the year

In this module, you will learn the following:

 Benefits and limitations of solar energy;
 Introduction to different aspects of production and use of solar energy;
 Application of solar energy for water pumping;
The aspects of Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) pumping system along with its
components shall be discussed in the next module.

1.1 OBJECTIVES

After going through this module, you will be able to:

 describe the concept, scope and benefits of solar energy;
 List the various applications of solar energy;
 Understand the importance of solar energy in agriculture;

1.2 BASICS OF SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTION

In simplistic terms, the light energy from the sun is converted to electrical
energy through a specially manufactured device called Solar PV modules. To
learn about this in detail, we need to understand the following:

1.2.1 Solar Energy

The term “Solar Energy” refers to radiation energy i.e. light and heat emitted
from the sun. Some amount of this energy is lost before it reaches the earth

5
surface, as it travels over 93 million miles km from the sun through various
layers of the atmosphere. The utilization of solar energy is elaborated in
section 1.4.

Fig. 1.2 depicts the journey of solar energy through the atmosphere to the
earth where it can be utilised.

Fig. 1.2: Showing the movement of solar energy from atmosphere to the
earth surface (Picture courtesy NASA atmospheric science data centre)
It is clear from the above figure (Fig. 1.2) that about 51% of the solar energy is
absorbed by the land and oceans.

The amount of solar energy (insolation) available at a particular location on the

earth’s surface varies depending on the latitude, earth’s tilt, and time of the day
and year.

1.2.2 Advantages of Solar Energy

Main advantages of Solar Energy are as follows:
 Clean energy source
 No fuel cost incurred as it uses sunlight as input,
 The power to drive the motor & pump can be generated as long as solar
radiation is available.

6
1.3 Production of Solar Electricity

As explained in the beginning, a solar photovoltaic (SPV) technology is used to

converts fraction of solar radiation into electrical energy.
Now, we will discuss about the solar photovoltaic (SPV) technology
1.3.1 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Technology

We will first learn, what is Solar Cell?

a. Solar cells
Solar cells (Fig. 1.3) is a p-n junction semiconductor device made of silicone
which is generally used to fabricate semiconductor chips of the computer and
other electronic devices. When sunlight hits the cells, the solar cell generates
Direct Current (DC) electric power. A silicon solar cell normally generates 0.6V
DC and about 8A Current depending on the area. Therefore, a solar cell of 6
inches can generates power up to 5 watts at the present-day technology.

Fig. 1.3: A solar cell

b. Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) Module

Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) Module converts fraction of solar radiation into

electrical energy.

SPV module is a single mono block unit having a fixed number of solar cell
strings (36, 72 etc.), which is the fundamental building block of SPV systems. It
consists of Solar cell strings sealed between the layers of Ethyl Vinyl Acetate
(EVA).

7
A SPV module is made of specific number of solar cells generally connected in
series. The series and parallel combination of modules serve two purposes.
The number of modules connected in series generates the required voltage
suitable to supply power to the controller and the number of modules in parallel
generates the required current to drive the motor and pump.

A Solar PV array consists of number of modules which are connected into

series and parallel configuration to provide required voltage and current to
drive a specific load(s). Solar PV cell, module and array are shown in Fig. 1.4.

Fig. 1.4: Solar cell, module and array

SPV module has two polarities positive (+) and negative (-) and when exposed
to Sun, generates Direct Current (DC) electricity. The current flows from
positive (+) to negative (-) terminals of the SPV Module, or SPV array. This
electricity so produced which is in the form of DC power, can either be used in
this form directly or converted into Alternating Current (AC). As we know,
Alternating Current (AC) is generally used for domestic purposes. You can
read more about AC and DC in keywords section.

Now, as you have got a general idea about the production of solar electricity,
let us look into its detailed process.

c. Solar PV Array

A photovoltaic (PV) array is the complete power generating unit consisting of

SPV modules, below in Fig. 1.5 showing a Solar PV Array. Solar PV array
consists of parallel and series combination of identical photovoltaic (PV)

8
modules to generate the required power (kWp) to operate any electrical
appliance/ equipment. Since this programme is on solar PV water pumping
system, electric appliance in this case implies to the solar water pump and its
connected motor.

Fig. 1.5: Solar PV Array

d. Types of PV Modules

Three major technology types of modules used in solar PV applications are

shown in Fig. 1.6. The technology is classified based on its manufacturing
technology such as wafer based or thin films, and the type of semiconductor
material such as Si (silicon), A-Si (arsenic silicon), Cd-Te (cadmium-telluride)
and CIGS (copper, indium, gallium, selenide).

Mono/Single Crystalline Silicon Polycrystalline Silicon Thin film

PV Module PV Module PV Module

Fig. 1.6: Types of Solar PV Technologies

Source:http://www.leonics.com/support/article2_13j/articles2_13j_en.php

Depending on current or voltage requirement, solar modules are connected in

two ways:

 If the solar arrays consist of identical modules connected in parallel, the

9
 output current will increase and voltage remain same as that of the single
module.

 If the solar arrays consist of identical modules connected in series, the

output voltage will increase whereas current remain same as that of the
single module.

(a) Series Connection of Solar Modules

As shown in figure 1.7, three solar modules (37 volts/8 amps each) are
connected in series. In this connection voltages add up as given below:

37+37+37=111 volts (approximately)

It must be noted for either series connection or in a parallel connection the

type, capacity, make etc. of solar modules should be IDENTICAL to enable the
system to function properly.

Fig. 1.7: Series Connection of Solar Module of 1 hp Array (900 Wp)

(b) Parallel Connection of Solar Modules

In parallel connection of solar modules, the voltage output would remain the
same but the current would add up and increase as shown in the figure 2.8.
This connection is employed where the high currents are required.

Figure 1.8 shows three solar modules (37V/ 8A each) are connected in
parallel. The negative of the first solar module is connected to the negative of
the next solar module, and the following panels follow suit. The terminals at the
end comprise of the positive terminals of all modules and the negative

10
terminals of all the modules. In this connection current add up and voltage
remains the same.

8+8+8=24 Amps

Fig. 1.8: Parallel Connection of Solar Module of 1 hp Array (900 Wp)

1.3.2 Advantages of Solar PV Technology

Major Advantages of SPV Technology are as follows:
 Clean energy source
 Since it uses sunlight as input, no fuel cost incurred
 As long as solar radiation is available the power to drive the motor &
pump will available
 Since it is standalone system its operation is not affected or disturb by
other loads operating nearby unlike grid-based pumping system.
 The modularity makes it easy for being constructed in sizes as required
 Ease of installation and transportation
 Minimal maintenance required and has long life span (more than 25
years)
 Long operation life and no wear and tear as there are no moving parts

c. Limitations

The major limitation of solar PV technology is the capex (capital expense) cost
is apparently high. The power available could be intermittent and affected by

11
moment of the cloud. Without storage, it is not possible to use the solar pumps
in night time.

1.3.3 Applications Solar PV Technology

Various applications of SPV Technology are presented below in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1: Various applications Solar PV Technology

Power Supply Power supply for household use, industrial and agricultural
use, etc.
Residential Indoor and outdoor lighting system, electrical equipment,
electric gate opener, security system, ventilator, water
pump, water filter, emergency light, etc.
Lighting System Traffic signalling system, telephone booth lighting, billboard
lighting, parking lot lighting, street lighting, lighting in remote
areas etc.
Water supply Irrigation, drinking water, livestock watering, agriculture,
gardening and farming, mining, public utility etc.
Battery charging Emergency power system, battery charging centres etc.
system
Agriculture Water pumping, agricultural products fumigator, thrashing
machines, water sprayer, insect trap lighting etc.
Fishing Water pumping, oxygen filling system for fish-farming etc.
Health center Refrigerator and cool box for keeping medicines and
vaccines, medical equipment, etc.
Communication Air navigational aid, air warning light, lighthouse, beacon
navigation aid, illuminated road signage, railway crossing
signals, emergency telephone etc.
Telecommunication Microwave repeater station, telecommunication equipment,
portable communication equipment (e.g. communication
radio for service and military exercise), weather monitoring
station, etc.
Remote area Power supply in remote areas like hill, island, forest and
remote area where the utility grids are not available, solar
water purification, wild life fencing.

12
Space Satellite, international space station, spacecraft, etc.
Energy Parks The large mega scale power plants feeding power to ultra-
high voltage grids.
Rooftop Solar PV systems installed on the roof of house, industries,
govt buildings, large industrials roofs etc. feed power to HT
and LT grids.

1.3.4 Factors affecting Solar Power Production

Solar PV power technology is also affected by various factors such as Intensity

of sunlight, ambient air temperature and angle of incidence. These are
explained in detailed as follows:

 Intensity of sunlight: Sun’s intensity is the most important factor which

affects the current from the SPV module which in turn affects power
production. During noon (midday), when the sun is in its peak (intense)
maximum power is generated from the array resulting in maximum flow
from the pump.

 Cloud cover: Cloud cover significantly affects the solar power production
since it affects the intensity of radiation. As the intensity of the sunlight
goes down, the output power from the SPV array decreases and also the
water output from the pump. Due to this, SPV water pumping system may
not deliver sufficient water output during the cloudy days.

 Temperature: Electrical power produced by the SPV modules decreases

at the rate approximately 0.5% per degree centigrade rise. The increase
in the rise of the temperature mainly decreases the voltage output, hence
the power. The temperature of the module will be rise with the increase in
ambient temperature and riddance. The wind flow can either increase or
decrease the module temperature depending upon the ambient
temperature.

 Relative Humidity: The RH may not directly affect the power output,
however persistent operation in high temperature and high humidity
conditions may affects the long operation life of the SPV module.

13
  Angle of Incidence: Power production from the solar PV module is
maximum when the solar PV module is directly, facing the Sun. It is for
this reason, solar PV array should be made to follow to sun’s path to
maximize the power output.

 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Technology: Crystalline silicon is most

commonly used material in present day PV technology. As a result of
research and development, newer technologies are regularly introduced
into the market. Use of components/controller of newer technologies in
combination with older ones or vice versa may not work due to voltage or
current changes. It can even cause damage. Hence, one must be careful
to select appropriate technology and controller.

1.4 Applications of Solar Energy

Some of you may be familiar with the various applications of solar energy in
agriculture.

Now, lets us see the various applications of solar energy in our daily life.

Solar energy is used since the development of civilization for domestic,

agricultural and industrial activities. However, demand of solar energy has
increased in recent time in order to complete the ever increasing energy
requirements of growing population. Increasing threat of acute shortage of the
commercial sources of energy coupled with serious environmental pollution
problems has accelerated interest in the scientific exploitation of renewable
sources of energy like the solar energy and wind mill etc. Energy available
from the sun is unlimited and eco-friendly. The solar energy is likely to play an
important role in the near future through usage of thermal application,
decentralized power generation and distribution systems. The solar energy is
mainly used in two ways:

 Solar Thermal

 Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

14
1.4.1 Solar Thermal

The solar energy is directly used by certain systems to collect the solar thermal
energy. Most of these systems are using the glaze for low-temperature solar
heating which have ability to transmit visible light but to block infrared
radiation. Mirrors are used for high temperature solar collection. There are
numerous applications of solar thermal like solar drying, solar cooking,
domestic water supply, solar water heating, solar cooling etc.

Let us discuss each one of the solar thermal applications in detail.

(i) Solar dryers: Open sun drying of various agricultural produce is the most
common application of solar energy. With the objective of increasing the
drying rate and improving quality of the produce, natural convection and
forced convection type solar dryers have been developed for various
commodities. The movement of air in the forced convection solar dryer is
through a power blower whereas in natural convection solar dryer air
moves through the produce due to natural thermal gradient. Solar dryer is
shown in figure 1.9.

Fig. 1.9: Solar dryer

(ii) Solar Hot Water System: Water heating is one of the most common
applications of solar energy for domestic and industrial applications. Solar
hot water system or heater (Fig. 1.10) is used in rural and urban areas
during winters for production of hot water.

15
 Fig. 1.10: Solar heater
(iii) Solar cooker: Solar energy is used for cooking using solar cookers. They
are generally used for cooking, drying, and pasteurization. It is used for
outdoor cooking where sunlight is available. The solar cooker is able to
perform three basic functions i.e. (i) to concentrate sunlight, (ii) to convert
light to heat, and (iii) to trap heat. It is low-cost, green device because it
uses sunlight for heating instead of using firewood or other heating
sources. The solar cookers are available commercially for domestic
cooking (Fig. 1.11).

Fig. 1.11: Solar cooker

(iv) Solar Powered Water Desalination: Solar energy is also used for
desalination of sea and salt water. Solar desalination of potable water
from saline (salty) water has been practiced for many years in tropical
and sub-tropical regions where fresh water is scarce. However, where

16
 fresh water is plentiful and energy rates are moderate, the most cost-
effective method has been to pump and purify. Figure 1.12 shows a solar
powered water desalination unit.

Fig. 1.12: Solar Powered Water Desalination Unit

(v) Solar Cooling: Solar thermal energy can also be used for solar chillers
to produce cold and/or dehumidification. It can help reduce the electricity
peak demand associated with conventional cooling, as maximum solar
radiation usually occurs when cooling is needed.

You have learnt about the application of solar thermal energy, now we will
focus on different application of solar photovoltaic.

1.4.2 Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

The solar energy can be converted into electricity using solar panels. When
sunlight strikes on the photovoltaic panels, it generates a photo current that is
known as direct current (DC), which can be converted to alternate current (AC)
using inverter. The electricity generated can be used for different purposes
such as solar lighting, solar pumping system, water purification, solar
refrigeration, grid connected system etc.

(i) Solar Lighting

The first and common application of solar PV is solar lanterns, street lights,
CFL’s and power kits. Solar Lantern System is shown in Fig.1.13. Public and
street lighting is a common application of solar energy. Street lightning (Figure
1.11) increases the feeling of safety at night. Solar home lighting systems are

17
the fixed installations designed for domestic application. LED Solar Lighting
System.

Street Light Solar lantern

Fig. 1.13: Solar lightning

(ii) Water purification system: Solar water decontamination system is

known as water purification system at household level. In solar water
purification system, two processes are combined i.e. Solar Water
Disinfection System (SODIS) and the solar distillation process. This
system uses only solar energy and can be built using recycling materials,
thus, environmentally sustainable. Distillation is one of many processes
available for water purification, and sunlight is one of the several forms of
heat energy that can be used to power that process. Sunlight has the
advantage of zero fuel cost but requires more space (for its collection)
and costly equipment.

(iii) Solar PV Water Pump: It is a solar powered water pump with an electric
motor run by electricity generated from solar radiations by Photovoltaic
panels. Photovoltaic panels convert solar energy into direct-current (DC)
electricity. Hence, a DC motor is required to operate solar PV water
pump. The AC motors can also be used to run the solar PV water pump
however, direct-current (DC) is converted to alternating-current (AC)
using an inverter which is more complex and costlier. The solar PV water
pump is used to provide fresh water for different purposes such as
domestic use, industry, agriculture, livestock, fish ponds etc. Use of solar
powered water pump decreases the input cost up to 25% which can

18
 make agriculture cost-effective. Figure 1.14 shows a solar PV water
pump used for irrigation.

Fig. 1.14: Solar PV water pump

The various uses of solar PV water pumps are as follows:

(a) Domestic water supply: Solar PV water pump can be a good solution
for a reliable supply of clean water. Now-a-days, use of solar PV water
pump is increasing because of its several advantages. Fig. 1.15 shows a
Solar PV water pumping system used for domestic water supply.
The solar water pumps are suitable for pump small quantity of water thus
it is best suited for villages as well as domestic water supply.
Groundwater is a good source of clean water which is used for different
purposes especially for drinking in villages. The reliability of regular
supply of clean water in remote and rural areas can be ensured by using
the solar PV water pump. When water is pumped by solar water pump,
the cost of water is very less as compared to other water pumping
methods i.e. diesel or electrical.

19
 Fig. 1.15: Solar PV water pumping system for domestic water supply

(b) Irrigation: Water is the basic necessity for crop production. Irrigation is
an important input for agriculture. Irrigation at right stage/time to the
crops is important otherwise crop yield will be drastically decreased.
Hence, continuous water supply is required for sustainable agriculture
production. SPV water pumping system is a viable solution to provide
regular water supply for irrigation especially in remote locations where a
steady electricity supply or fuel supply is problematic. Figure 1.16 below
shows SPV water pumping system used for irrigation.

Fig. 1.16: Solar PV water pumping system for irrigation

(c) Livestock: Livestock rearing is one of the important activities in rural

areas. Regular water supply is required for drinking, bathing of livestock

20
 etc. Use of PV water pumps in livestock farm can be one of the
alternatives for regular water supply which is gaining prominence
especially in off-grid areas. SPV water pumping system for livestock
watering is shown in Figure 1.17.

Fig. 1.17: Solar PV water pumping system used for livestock watering

(v) Solar water pumps for aquaculture and fishing: Power aeration
pumps are used in commercial fish and shrimp farms it helps in
increasing oxygen levels, which contributes significantly to productivity.
Most of the farms located in the remote, off-shore locations use
conventional energy sources like diesel generators and grid supply.
These energy sources are costly and present an ecological hazard,
especially close to vulnerable aquatic eco-systems. For small applications
(aeration pumps) PV can be an economic solution. For higher energy
consuming applications, solar PV/diesel hybrid systems can be an option.
Solar water pumps used for aquaculture/fishing is shown in Fig.1.18.

Fig. 1.18: Solar water pumps used for aquaculture/fishing

21
(vi) Solar electric wild life fences: Solar PV system is also used for
protecting the farm using electrical generated from solar PV in the fences.
Use of PV electric fences is cost effective and convenient solution in
pasture management shown in Figure 1.19.

Fig. 1.19: Solar electric wild life fences

(vii) Solar Refrigeration: Solar refrigeration can be used in freezers,

refrigerators, food preservation, ice-making, cooler, air conditioning
systems, etc. Solar refrigeration system uses electricity produced from
solar radiation using photovoltaic cell or using radiant heat from the sun.
A solar refrigerator is shown in Figure 1.20.

Fig. 1.20: Solar refrigerator

22
(viii) Refrigeration for food products: Solar powered refrigerators and
freezers are used for storage and preservation of food products.

1.5 IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION IN AGRICULTURE

Agriculture is the largest consumer of fresh water at global level. Irrigation of

agricultural lands account for 70% of the fresh water used worldwide. In
several developing countries, irrigation represents up to 95% of all water uses,
and plays a major role in food production and food security. Keeping in view
the erratic climatic conditions, future agricultural strategies of most of the
countries depend on the possibility to maintain, improve and expand
agriculture through assured irrigation. On the other hand, the increasing
pressure on water resources by agriculture faces competition from other
sectors using water and represents a threat to the environment. Water used for
agriculture comes from natural sources like lake, rivers etc. or other alternative
sources such as tube wells, water harvesting ponds etc.
Irrigation of small-holdings is likely to become increasingly important and
widely used, especially in developing countries, because of increasing
population pressure and because the majority of land-holdings are getting
smaller, particularly in Asia and Africa. Studies have also shown that small
land-holdings are often more productive in terms of yield per hectare, than
larger units, if proper irrigation is provided.
Methods of Irrigation
Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil to enable crops to have
favourable growth particularly in areas where amount of rainfall is not
adequate. Irrigation water may be applied to the crop using different methods
of water application. These methods of water application are classified as
surface, sub-surface, sprinkler and drip/trickle irrigation methods. Broadly, the
irrigation methods are classified as:
(i) Surface irrigation,
(ii) Sub-surface irrigation
(iii) Sprinkler irrigation and
(iv) Drip irrigation

23
The irrigation method can be selected depending upon the type of crop, soil,
topography, climatic conditions, source of water and its quality, power
availability, cost etc. An irrigation method should suit the local conditions. All
methods have their advantages and disadvantages. The basic purpose of
irrigation is to apply irrigation water uniformly so that each plant has the
amount of water it needs, neither too much nor too little.

(i) Surface Irrigation

The surface methods of irrigation are oldest and most commonly used for
water application to the crop because of simplicity and less cost involved. In
surface irrigation systems, water moves over and across the land by simple
gravity flow are suitable for soils with low to moderate rate of infiltration and
levelled lands with slope less than 2-3 per cent. The main disadvantages of
these methods are labour intensive and having less water application
efficiencies. The irrigation efficiency in surface irrigation methods is around 40
per cent. Table 1.2 describe the Irrigation efficiencies under different methods
of irrigation.
Table 1.2: Irrigation efficiencies under different methods of irrigation
Irrigation Irrigation efficiencies (%)
methods Conveyance Application Overall
Flood 40-50 (Canal) 60-70 30-35
60-70 (Well)
Sprinkler 100 70-80 50-60
Drip/trickle 100 90 80-90
Source: Sivanappan and Padmakumari (1980)

The surface method of irrigation can further be classified as follows:

(a) Flooding: Water is allowed from the channel into the field without much
control on either side of the flow. Water moves almost unguided and
reaches different parts of the field non-uniformly. This method of
irrigation is exclusive used for lowland areas especially for paddy
cultivation. However, used for some other crops also.
(b) Check Basin: This method is suitable for mainly field crops and is most
common method among surface methods of irrigation (Fig.1.21). This

24
 method is adopted when the field is quite large and is not easy to level
the entire field. The field is divided into small number of plots so that
each plot has a nearly level surface and surrounded by small bunds on
all four sides. The basins are filled to desired depth and water is
retained until it infiltrates into the soil. Water from head channel is
supplied to the field channels one after another.

Fig. 1.21: Check irrigation

(c) Border: This method is suitable for high value crops and adaptable to
most soil textures except sandy soils. Borders are usually long,
uniformly graded strips of land, separated by earth bunds. The field is
divided into number of long parallel strips called borders that are
separated by low ridges. Small irrigation channels are provided
between two adjacent rows of beds.
(d) Furrow: This method of irrigation is adapted to crops grown on ridges
and furrows and suitable for crops such as potato, cotton, sugarcane,
vegetables etc. Small furrows (channels) are formed along or across
the slope of a field and water is allowed to flow in furrow opened in
crop rows. Water infiltrates from the bottom and sides of the furrow
and laterally wet the soil. Furrow Irrigation is shown in Fig.1.22

25
 Fig. 1.22: Check irrigation

(ii) Sprinkler irrigation

In this method, water is applied from source through pipes under
pressure to the field. The water is applied and distributed to the field in
the form of spray, somewhat as rain (Fig. 1.23). It is particularly useful for
sandy soils because sandy soils have a low water storage capacity, high
infiltration rate and absorb water too fast. Therefore, these soils need
frequent but small irrigation applications, in particular when the sandy soil
with shallow depth. This method is adopted in uneven topography and
where erosion hazards are great.

The water is applied uniformly as per the requirement in the field with
high irrigation efficiency. However, the energy requirement is high and is
not suitable for areas having high wind velocity. Initial investment and
operating cost is also high.

Fig. 1.23: Sprinkler irrigation

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(iii) Drip irrigation
In this method of irrigation, water is applied at or near the root zone of
plants, drop by drop under low pressure. It is also known as trickle
irrigation (Fig. 1.24). This method can be the most water efficient method
of irrigation, if managed properly, evaporation and runoff are minimized. It
is suitable for the areas of acute water scarcity. This method is suitable
for different crops such as fruits (grapes, banana, ber, citrus etc.),
vegetables (tomato, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage etc.) coconut,
sugarcane, cotton, maize, planation crop etc. Water is applied in the
vicinity of the plant roots and only a part of the area is wetted resulting in
considerable saving of water. The water application efficiency is highest
around 90% resulting in 50-100% water saving as compared to surface
method of irrigation. However, initial investment is high, the energy is
required to run the system and skilled manpower is required to maintain
the system.

Fig. 1.24: Drip irrigation

1.6 LET US SUM UP

 Energy is one of the important resources to fulfil the basic requirements

of the society.
 The solar energy is a renewal source of energy and easily available for
meeting the requirement for different agricultural operations such as
irrigation, drying, storage, value addition etc.
 Solar energy has large number of benefits with a few limitations.

27
  Photovoltaic (PV) technology is used to capture the solar energy
through solar panels and converted to solar electricity. The solar PV
technology has number of applications.
 Irrigation is an important input for agriculture. Almost 70% of the fresh
water is used in agriculture worldwide for irrigation. Various methods of
water application are used to irrigate agricultural fields. These methods
of water application are classified as surface, sub-surface, sprinkler and
drip/trickle irrigation methods.

1.7 SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Following are the few important questions a farmer has related to solar water
pumping system:
1. What is solar energy?

Solar energy sustains life on earth. Environment Protection Agency (EPA)

defines that solar energy is the energy derived from the sun's radiation. Solar
energy is converted and used as an alternative to fossil fuels.

2. What are the applications of solar energy in agriculture and food

processing?

Solar energy is used since the development of civilization for domestic,

agricultural and agro-industrial activities. Some of the applications of solar
energy are as following:

 Street lighting in rural villages

 Solar dryers
 Solar water heater
 Solar cooker
 Solar Powered Water Desalination
 Solar Water Pump for domestic and irrigation
 Solar water pumps for aquaculture and fishing
 Solar electric fences
 Refrigeration for food products etc.

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3. What is solar water pump?

A solar water pump is a system powered by solar energy. It is just like the
traditional electric pump but using solar energy instead of fossil fuel or
electricity. It consists of solar panels (solar photovoltaic modules), a motor
pump set, a controller device to operate the pump, the required hardware and
in some cases, other items like inverters, batteries, etc.

4. What is the use of solar water pump?

A solar water pump is used for extracting water from ponds, rivers, bore wells
or other water sources. The pumped water is used to meet the water
requirements of different sectors such as irrigation, community water supply,
livestock and other purposes.

1.8 IMPORTANT DEFINTIONS

Alternative : It is the current of magnitude varying with time with

Current (AC) 50Hz or 60Hz frequency. Alternative current is most
commonly used in households to power electrical
appliances like TV, refrigerators, radio, computers etc.
Grid supplied electricity is alternating current.
Direct Current : It is the current of constant magnitude with zero
(DC) frequency. It is produced by PV modules and stored in
batteries.
Desalination : It is a process of removing minerals and salts from
saline water to produce freshwater.
Earth’s Tilt : A change in the latitude of any portion of the earth’s
surface.
Latitude : It is an angle with respect to an equatorial reference
plane. It is a geographic coordinate that specifies the
north–south position of a point on the Earth's surface
and ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90° (North or
South) at the poles.
Longitude : It is an angle with reference to the prime meridian. It

29
 range up to +180 degrees (East), and down to -180
degrees (West).
Insolation : It is the amount of solar radiation that reaches the
earth's surface.
PV : Photovoltaic
Resilience : It is defined as the propensity (tendency) of a system to
retain its organizational structure and productivity
following a perturbation (uneasiness).
Water pump : A mechanical device used for lifting water from a water
source/borewell.
kWp : Peak kilowatts. It is an amount of electrical power that a
system is expected to deliver when the sun is directly
overhead on a clear day.
STC : Standard Testing Conditions

1.9 SUGGESTED READINGS AND REFERENCES

AURORE. 2016. Best practices in solar water pumping. Manual Published by

Auroville Renewal Energy (AuroRE) CSR Office Auroshipam, Auroville 650
101 (Tamil Nadu). Pp 1-46.
Jagan Nath Shrestha, Ajay Kumar Jha and Rajendra Karki. 2014. Training
Manual on Solar PV Pumping System. Published by GRID Nepal in joint
venture with Center for Energy Studies Institute of Engineering, TU. Pp 1-170.
Jeff Kenna and Bill Gillett. 1985. Solar Water Pumping-A Handbook.
Intermediate Technology Publications, 103/105 Southampton Row, London
WC14 HH. Pp 1-134.
Model Scheme on Solar Photovoltaic Pumping System (for farmers without
pumpsets). Manual published by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD) Head office, Mumbai.
NSW Farmers, GSES, 2015, Solar-powered pumping in agriculture: A guide to
system selection and design. NSW Farmers, 2015.
Priyabrata Santra, P.C. Pande, A.K. Singh and Pradeep Kumar. 2016. Solar
PV pumping system for irrigation purpose and its economic comparison with

30
grid-connected electricity and diesel operated pumps. Indian Journal of
Economics and Development, 4 (4). 1-7. ISSN (online): 2320-9836 and ISSN
(Print): 2320-9828.
SNV. 2015. Solar PV Standardised Training Manual. Developed by SNV for
the Rural Solar Market Development. Pp 1-98.
Sivanappan, R.K. and Padmakumari, O. 1980. Drip irrigation SVNP Report,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. Pp. 15.

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 AWARENESS PROGRAMME ON SOLAR ENERGY
APPLICATION–WATER PUMP

1. SOLAR ENERGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS

2. SOLAR WATER PUMP AND ITS COMPONENTS

3. OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY

ISBN-978-93-89969-32-0