Solar Power: Renewable Energy Production for an Agricultural Purposes
Winnie O. Alejo | BSCE 3-2 | Engineering Utilities 1
College of Engineering, Isabela State University – Campus, Echague, Isabela
alejowinnie02@gmail.com
I. INTRODUCTION
Electricity is the energy that allows light
bulbs to shine. It is the energy created by the flow
of positive and negative electrons inside conductive
materials, if we go into more scientific terms.
The amount and movement of electric
charge are characterized as electricity. We can use
electricity to convey energy in ways that allow us to
do simple activities. Electricity, on the other hand,
provides a number of risks to those who do not take
adequate precautions.
To control dangers, you must first create a
safe working environment and then work safely. In
general, it is preferable to eliminate all threats and
establish a fully safe environment.
Avoiding contact with electrical voltages
and the currents they can induce helps to provide a
safe working environment. Electrical currents must
be regulated to avoid passing through the body. A
safe work environment also decreases the risk of
fires, burns, and falls, in addition to reducing
shocks. To create a safe working environment, you
must avoid contact with electrical voltages and
manage electrical currents. (eLCOSH, 2021)
In common workplaces and residences, the
voltage of the electricity and the available electrical
current are powerful enough to cause death by
electrocution. Even replacing a light bulb without
disconnecting the lamp is dangerous because
coming into contact with the "hot," "energized," or
"live" section of the socket can be fatal.
According to the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory, "More energy from the sun falls
on the earth in one hour than is utilized by everyone
on the planet in a year". The sun's rays are now used
in a variety of ways, including to heat houses and
businesses, to warm water, and to power
electronics.
Solar radiation is light released by the sun,
also known as electromagnetic radiation. While
every area on Earth receives some sunlight over the
course of a year, the quantity of solar energy
reaching any one spot on the planet's surface
fluctuates. Solar technologies absorb this radiation
and convert it to energy that may be used.
The radiation from the sun that may produce
heat, cause chemical processes, or generate
electricity is known as solar energy. The overall
quantity of solar energy received on Earth exceeds
the world's present and projected energy needs by a
large margin. Solar energy has the ability to meet all
future energy demands if properly harnessed.
For both large and small-scale farmers, solar
technologies are becoming a viable option. Solar
powered irrigation systems (SPIS) provide
dependable and cost-effective energy, potentially
lowering irrigation energy costs. They can provide a
relatively flexible and climate-friendly alternative
energy source, particularly in rural areas where
diesel fuel costs are high or where reliable access to
the electricity grid is limited.
The Philippines is a strong candidate for
solar power implementation from a geographical
standpoint. The Philippines has an average solar
energy potential of 4.5 kWh/m2 per day, according
to a study conducted by the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory. Solar plants are a good choice
in terms of developing alternate energy solutions
because of the amount of sunlight that the
Philippines receives throughout the country.
II. OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study is to provide
safety in generating electricity using renewable
sources at a specific residence. Using solar power,
the researchers were able to produce electricity by
the use of photovoltaic (PV) cells, to generate
electricity at the farm. The research paper intends
to:
1. Assess the performance of Solar PV System in
relation to the climate of the Philippines.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of Solar PV System in
agricultural purposes.
III. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The strain on the agriculture sector has been
significantly increased due to the rapidly increasing
trend of global population growth, which is
expected to reach more than 9 billion by 2050.
Simultaneously, concerns about greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions and the depletion of fossil fuels
are putting an end to traditional agricultural
practices. The agriculture sector aims to feed the
world's growing population in a more sustainable
way by incorporating renewable technologies.
Among all renewable energy sources, solar energy
is one of the most adaptable to farm applications
(Gorjian, 2020). As a result, this library research
was carried out in order to identify an effective
design for the installation of a Solar PV System for
agricultural purposes, as well as the practicability
and safety of Solar Power.
IV. METHODOLOGY
This library research was conducted to
determine an effective design for the installation of
a Solar PV System for agricultural purposes, as well
as the practicability and safety of Solar Power.
A comprehensive evaluation was performed in
order to identify underlying factors that may affect
the performance of a Solar PV System. The
majority of the data was gathered from web-based
articles, studies, experiments, and journals. These
sources were cited at the end of this paper to avoid
plagiarism.
V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
All of the researches and experiments were
gathered from the web. The information collected
was categorized in order to fulfill the objectives of
the study: These are 1: Assess the performance of
Solar PV System in relation to the climate of the
Philippines. 2: Evaluate the effectiveness of Solar
PV System in agricultural purposes.
Performance of Solar PV System in the
Philippines. According to a Dutch consultancy
firm, the Philippines ranked first among developing
countries in Asia in terms of the use of solar
photovoltaic systems for electricity generation last
2018. The biggest operational project in the
Philippines was currently the 132.5-megawatt Cadiz
solar power plant developed by Helios Solar Energy
Corp., a joint venture between Thailand-based
Soleq Solar Co. and Gregorio Araneta Inc. and
further projects are being procured to expand the
production of solar power. Furthermore, the
Philippines was going through some policy
changes, the solar market had been getting much
support from the government (Domingo, 2018).
Geographically, the Philippines is a strong
candidate for solar power implementation.
According to a National Renewable Energy
Laboratory study, the Philippines has an average
solar energy potential of 4.5 kWh/m2 per day across
the country. Because of the amount of sunlight that
the Philippines receives throughout the year,
developing solar plants is an excellent alternative
energy solution (Centeno, 2018).
Figure 2.0 Solar energy potential of the Philippines
Not all of the sunlight that strikes a
photovoltaic cell is converted into electricity. In
fact, the majority of it has been lost. A variety of
factors in solar cell design contribute to a cell's
ability to convert the sunlight it receives.
 Given the current electricity market, solar
power as a common utility makes economic sense
for the Philippines, as solar technology, as a newly
formed power source, is well positioned to
capitalize on rising fuel prices while also
demonstrating high resilience to falling oil prices.
To produce a significant decrease in the sale of
solar power systems, oil prices must fall below
US$28 per barrel. In the most optimistic scenario,
solar power is expected to displace approximately
16TWh of gas and oil power generation between
2020 and 2025, rising to potentially 40TWh
between 2026 and 2030 (Shead, 2017).
Figure 3.0 Solar energy Capacity in the Philippines
Lastly, the Philippines propose many
projects that will benefit the country and the nature
as the government support the Republic Act No.
9513 or the 'Renewable Energy Act of 2008' was
codified in December 2008 to affirm the
government's commitment to accelerate the
utilization of renewable energy (RE) resources in
the country.
Evaluate the effectiveness of Solar PV
System in agricultural purposes. The use of solar-
power systems as a crop-cultivation environment
allows agriculture and renewable energy to coexist.
Other crop studies, such as those for cabbages and
onions, are also underway (Cho et. al., 2020).
Another research by Querikiol (2018) a
hybrid system of PV and diesel generator would be
optimal at higher diesel costs while an all-PV
system would remain optimal at lower diesel costs.
The results of the study provided for a good model
that can be used in evaluating the renewable energy
needs of farms in the Philippines.
Applying solar PV system to the agriculture
field is winning combination and benefits to both
the farmer and the government. Solar PV panels
installation requires one-time investment only and
benefits with clean energy production and have a
long life of 30 years. Solar greenhouse enables to
grow off season crops and powers the entire system
with free input energy solar dryers helps in drying
procedure of crops and switching to automatic solar
irrigation system benefits in reduction in loss of
water and time consumption of farmers (Khan,
2019).
Solar energy has the potential to reduce a
farm's electricity and heating costs. Solar heat
collectors can be used to dry crops as well as heat
homes, livestock barns, and greenhouses. Solar
water heaters can provide hot water for dairy
operations, pig cleaning, and residential use.
Photovoltaics (solar panels) can be used to power
farm operations as well as remote water pumps,
lights, and electric fences (Shati, 2021).
Solar energy can be used in small-scale
farming and more extensive agricultural irrigation.
The solar water pump system can have an inbuilt
inverter and energy storage to ensure a regular
water supply every 24 hours. Solar water pumps can
also provide a steady water supply for livestock and
be useful for daily living (Roussey, 2021).
Since the beginning of time, people have
used solar technologies in simple forms such as
drying in the sun and basking in the sun, and people
are now using some other simple solar technologies
such as solar water heating and solar cookers by
consuming direct sunlight or solar energy. Over the
last decade, the global solar PV market has grown
by 50%.  More than 29 Giga Watt (GW) of new
solar PV industry was installed worldwide in 2011,
a 70% increase over the previous year. Global PV
capacity surpassed 69 GW, with 70% installed in
European countries. In 2017, nearly 73 GW of solar
capacity was added globally (Tariq, 2020).
VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Given the amount of light from the sun
received by the Philippines throughout the year,
creating solar plants is an excellent option eco -
friendly approach. Based on the climate of the
country, the solar potential can produce 4.5
kWh/m2 per day across the country due to its
tropical environment. Thus, converting this solar
potential to electricity can greatly benefit the
industry. Recent advancements and development of
solar PV cells in the country have created a cheaper
product available for the masses. Making it
affordable for small landowners and farmers.

In addition, the country has also

implemented laws expanding support for the use of
renewable energy such as wind, hydro, and solar.
Solar PV System in agricultural purposes
can greatly benefit the farmers in saving cost due to
electrical use (can be used to power farm operations
as well as remote water pumps, lights, and electric
fences). Renewable energy also reduces the
pollution coming from non-renewable source of
energy such as fossil fuels, coals, and gasoline.
The installation price is ranging from PHP
100,000.00 to 200,000.00 which is affordable for
medium to large scale agricultural lands. While,
PHP 60,000.00 to 90,000.00 for small scale farms.
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