SIZING AND COST ANALYSIS OF A STAND-ALONE SOLAR PUMPING SYSTEM FOR IRRIGATION PURPOSES

There is an increasing trend towards the use of alternative or renewable energy as a clean energy source for the production of electricity for various purposes, such as water pumping for irrigation. The potential for non-thermal on-site power generation also remains enormous in Egypt with increasing investments in small-scale solar-power units. Promotion of energy production from combination of sources of energy, known as hybrid scheme, is represented by an important objective of meeting the energy demand. In the present study, a solar system is optimally designed for a stand-alone PV-powered irrigation system that uses a submersible pump consuming an average of 50 kWh of electrical energy per day to irrigate 10 acres of land. Also, cost optimization of the solar/pump system is carried out to provide useful guidelines for small-scale stand-alone solar system designers and manufacturers