Description
Scitus Academics Potential Use Of Solar Energy And Emerging Technologies In Micro Irrigation-Scitus by Jeltsyn Rocha
Farmers have always played a significant role in our society as they provide the world’s population with food. However, one may forget that, not only do they provide food but they also provide energy, which nowadays, is of paramount importance, especially as in light of renewable energies. Indeed, farmers can produce energy from the wind, the sun or the biomass and they can use it for their own farm, or, if they have a surplus, resell it to companies. In many rural areas, particularly in developing and emerging countries, the access to the electricity grid is not always assured. In this situation, farmers cannot depend on the traditional irrigation system. As a result, using an independent and alternative energy system can be a solution for the farmer to secure a safe power source and for the public grid to avoid saturation. Solar energy might be one of the easiest ways for farmers to produce energy. Indeed, farmers typically have several large buildings whose roofs are directly under the sun, without being hindered by the shadows of the trees, turning them into an ideal place to settle a photovoltaic system. Hence, the use of solar energy in agriculture is becoming increasingly popular and the energy produced from this renewable source can be used either on the farm or in the local power grid, providing the farmer with an additional income.
This book examines the potential of solar energy and other evolving energy technologies in micro irrigation to create sustainable energy sources. It discusses various innovative micro irrigation system designs, with a special emphasis on solar energy and photovoltaic (PV) energy. It also deliberates nutrient management through drip irrigation to improve yield and quality of crops. This text will be of valuable information tool for those working in urban development, energy professionals, advanced graduate students, as well as researchers and practitioners.
These days, R&D tends to emphasis on generating solar pumps that are inexpensive in arid regions. Therefore, in countries which suffer from high temperatures and rare water resources, the drip irrigation system could contribute to an efficient water management. This is all the more important as farmers have to face three challenges: save water, money and energy. Mobile solar drip irrigation systems shall turn out to be the perfect answer to face these challenges. Although these systems are still quite expensive and complicated to settle, many R&D projects are working on the democratization of the use of solar power in agriculture, which, in the prospect (and even today), could play a vibrant part in the management of the food and energy emergency.