Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir) and Iran Fuel Conservation Company (IFCO) signed a memorandum of understanding on Saturday, based on which electrification of agricultural wells will be conducted with renewable energy for the first time in the country.
According to the MoU signed by Mohammad Hassan Motevallizadeh, Tavanir’s managing director, and Ali Mobini Dehkordi, managing director of IFCO, 60,000 agricultural wells will be powered by solar energy in three years, the Energy Ministry’s news portal Paven reported.
“Solar panels with a total electricity generation capacity of 2,000 megawatts will be built for the project,” Motevallizadeh said.
Solar-powered electric pumps will replace water pumping systems using diesel-based engines with electric motors.
“By reducing diesel consumption, the fuel can be exported,” he added.
The Tavanir chief noted that electrifying pumps in water wells with solar energy will help reduce farmers' costs by 80% from their current expenses of using diesel-based engines.
“About 50,000 road tankers annually supply diesel to agro wells. Hence, replacing diesel with solar energy will also help decrease road accidents,” Motevallizadeh said.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony, Dehkordi said that in the first phase, 11,000 agricultural wells will be electrified through renewable energy sources.
“According to the MoU, farmers will not pay for the solar panels and equipment required by the network, and will only pay for special equipment such as transformers,” he added.
Environmental Benefits
The IFCO chief noted that using solar energy to power the water pumps instead of diesel will also have positive impacts on the environment since solar power is a totally clean source of energy and unlike petroleum, it does not emit greenhouse gasses.
The use of petroleum generator-powered pumps has negative impacts on both the financial means of the farmers and the environment, as diesel is considered a dirty fuel.
“By electrifying agricultural wells via solar energy, when agro wells are off in winters, the electricity can be injected into the national power network,” Dehkordi said.
A solar water pump is commonly used in residential and commercial areas, as well as for agricultural irrigation in the world. Through solar panels, the pump can eliminate the cost of energy and provide a more feasible option that uses energy from the sun (and not fuel-burning mechanisms) for pumping water.
At a time when the entire world is switching to solar, using the sun’s energy in water pumping systems can significantly help accelerate the development of agriculture in rural and remote areas. This concept is known as solar-powered irrigation and is used in many regions.
Solar energy might be the easiest way for farmers to produce energy, especially for those living off electricity grids with poor infrastructure around their homes.
The concept of solar irrigation represents a virtuous circle. When the sun shines, it feeds the irrigation system and feeds the crops dependent on water in sunny weather. Therefore, a large quantity of energy is being released right at a time when it is needed the most.
The project to use solar energy for water wells comes after the government’s initiative to equip agro wells with smart meters.
The Energy Ministry has been equipping traditional wells with smart meters that help the regular and efficient monitoring of power and water consumption.
‘Smart’ or ‘intelligent’ wells are advanced wells with sensors and valves installed downhole to allow easy and systematic monitoring by utilities.
A smart meter is a modern electricity meter that digitally sends meter readings to energy suppliers and ensures more accurate billing.
Waste and overconsumption of groundwater from wells have become a major problem in Iran's permanent fight against the water crisis that has gotten worse over the past half century, as precipitation declines and consumption rises.
