Energy Harvesting and Water Saving in Arid Regions via Solar PV Accommodation in Irrigation Canals

Ayman Alhejji, Alban Kuriqi, Jakub Jurasz and Farag K. Abo-Elyousr
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Ayman Alhejji: Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technology, Yanbu Industrial College, Yanbu Industrial City 41912, Saudi Arabia
Alban Kuriqi: CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Jakub Jurasz: Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Farag K. Abo-Elyousr: Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-24

Abstract: The Egyptian irrigation system depends mainly on canals that take water from the River Nile; nevertheless, the arid climate that dominates most of the country influences the high rate of water losses, mainly through evaporation. Thus, the main objective of this study is to develop a practical approach that helps to accommodate solar photovoltaic (PV) panels over irrigation canals to reduce the water evaporation rate. Meanwhile, a solar PV panel can contribute effectively and economically to an on-grid system by generating a considerable amount of electricity. A hybrid system includes a solar PV panel and a diesel generator. Several factors such as the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), total net present cost, loss of power supply probability, and greenhouse gas emissions should be considered while developing a technoeconomically feasible grid-connected renewable integrated system. A mathematical formulation for the water loss was introduced and the evaporation loss was monthly estimated. Thus, this study also aims to enhance an innovative metaheuristic algorithm based on a cuckoo search optimizer to show the way forward for developing a technoeconomic study of an irrigation system integrated with an on-grid solar PV panel designed for a 20-year lifespan. The results are compared using the mature genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization to delimit the optimal size and configuration of the on-grid system. The optimal technoeconomic feasibility is connected to the graphical information system to delimit the optimal length and direction of the solar PV accommodation covering the canals. Finally, based on the simulated results, the optimal sizing and configuration of the irrigation-system-integrated on-grid solar PV accommodation have less impact on the LCOE without violating any constraint and, at the same time, generating clean energy.

Keywords: cuckoo search; economic feasibility; microgrids; renewable energy; water evaporation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (25)

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