Chile Uses Solar Energy to Power Agricultural Irrigation Systems
An area in northern Chile has created a novel solution to their agricultural irrigation needs. Why not power water pumps with natural sunlight?
Four new solar powered irrigation systems were developed by a team consisting of Chile’s National Energy Commission along with Chile’s Agriculture Ministry and a regional government. Each system has a generator that can produce up to 500 Watts of energy. When there is not a need for irrigation, the energy produced by the solar power systems goes back into the general electricity grid.
- » See also: Blame-apportionment and Reactionary measures can not remedy Environmental Ailments
- » Get EcoWorldly by RSS or sign up by email.
Each of the four irrigation systems is used to provide water for about 0.5 to 1 hectares of agricultural land (~1.25-2.5 acres). If you do the math, it becomes easy to realize that these irrigation systems are only being used for about 4 hectares of land total (~ 10 acres). While this is certainly not a substantial alternative energy breakthrough for northern Chile, it is part of a larger picture.
Last year, the northern region where the irrigation systems are being used was also the first area in Chile to install a wind farm. Some residences in this area that are not connected to the electricity grid are also receiving solar panels to power themselves independently. The Chilean government plans to continue providing assistance with solar panels and alternative energy in this region of the country, as well as other areas. A company named Endesa Chile is also planning to build the country’s first solar plant in the northern deserts, where sunshine is abundant.
Read More About Alternative Energy in Chile on the Green Options Network:
Photo Credit: existentist on Flickr under a Creative Commons license
[...] province of Corrientes, in Argentina, is accomplishing the goal of bringing solar power to faraway schools. On July, we told you about this proyect but in Catamarca [...]
How can we apply solar energy for powerig large irrigation systems.Here in Zimbabwe we are currently having power shortages especially in the farming community so I was requesting assistance in developing solar powered Irrigation systems in Zimbabwe.