Combining solar and hydropower could place energy sovereignty within irrigation communities' reach
A study by the University of Córdoba analyzes and compares scenarios to integrate clean energy into the irrigation system on the left bank of the Genil River. The goal is to optimize energy use and reduce dependence on market fluctuations
University of Córdoba
Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular in industries seeking alternatives to the conventional market, with its price fluctuations. In agriculture, solar panel installations are very common on farms, and in recent years, they have also become popular among irrigation communities, which are increasingly powering their systems using energy from the sun. However, this sector requires irrigation availability during times when there is no sunlight, which means that this clean and inexpensive energy source has, thus far, been viewed as auxiliary and complementary, without fully addressing market dependency.
To study the savings and benefits of different solar energy usage scenarios, as well as to propose alternative paths toward energy sovereignty, a team at the University of Córdoba analyzed the case of an Andalusian irrigation community capable of adopting a beneficial hybrid model to produce and store clean energy. The Margen Izquierda del Genil community, which has 6,000 registered hectares with irrigation rights, spans the municipalities of Lora del Río, Peñaflor, and Palma del Río. This community is finalizing the installation of a 9-megawatt peak solar plant, which will replace the conventional energy currently used to pump water from the river to a reservoir located 80 meters higher, from which gravity-based irrigation is then carried out. This system offers "flexibility" because "instead of using the energy directly and exclusively for irrigation, they use it to pump water to that reservoir, which expands their possibilities," explained researcher Maaike Van de Loo, who authored the study along with researchers Rafael González Perea, Emilio Camacho Poyato, and Juan Antonio Rodríguez Díaz, all members of the Hydraulics and Irrigation group in the Department of Agronomy (DAUCO).
This study, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, was conducted as part of the HY4RES project, co-funded by the EU's Interreg Atlantic Area program, which aims to develop hybrid solutions for renewable energy systems. It presents four different scenarios for this irrigation community based on their use of solar energy. To do so, it analyzes real data from the period from 2021 to 2024, a timeframe marked by variability in terms of economics, water availability, and irrigation demand, allowing the study to be conducted applying "realistic" conditions.
Four scenarios with varying margins
The first scenario involves using only conventional energy, with profitability tied to electricity market prices and their hourly fluctuations. The second scenario proposes the addition of a photovoltaic plant that generates energy exclusively for the irrigation community's use, without the option of selling any surplus energy produced. In this case, the availability of energy only during the day would dictate irrigation schedules and make it necessary to maintain the conventional energy supply. The third scenario includes the option of selling the surplus energy not used for irrigation, which would provide an immediate benefit to the irrigation community, allowing it to reduce or offset costs.
While the second scenario reduces conventional energy use by up to 70%, the opportunity to generate extra income by selling surplus energy multiplies the benefits of investing in the photovoltaic plant. However, it is the fourth scenario presented in this study that optimizes solar energy use the most, by combining it with another type of clean energy; in this case, the large water reservoir used for gravity-based irrigation solves another major challenge in clean energy production: its storage for on-demand use. The water pumped from the river to the elevated reservoir acts as a potential battery, capable of generating hydraulic energy through the force of motion created by a turbine. The result is a hybrid circular circuit that wouldtake irrigators one step closer to the energy sovereignty they desire by providing autonomy, stability, and flexibility, while also offering a cleaner and more efficient system.
Van de Loo explains, "In previous studies on solar energy use by irrigation communities, we saw that the challenge was to match energy availability with irrigation needs." The hybrid solution proposed in this study is projected as "the most resilient system" because, with its ability to store potential energy, the sector can overcome the constraints that still keep it from achieving energy sovereignty, whether those are electricity prices or sunlight hours.
Journal
Journal of Cleaner Production
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Optimizing solar energy use in large irrigation networks: The role of elevation differences in the Genil Margen Izquierda case study, Spain
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