Implementing Blockchain Technology in Irrigation Systems That Integrate Photovoltaic Energy Generation Systems

Florentina Magda Enescu, Nicu Bizon, Adrian Onu, Maria Simona Răboacă, Phatiphat Thounthong, Alin Gheorghita Mazare and Gheorghe Șerban
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Florentina Magda Enescu: Faculty of Electronics, Communications and Computers, University of Pitesti, 110040, Piteşti, Romania
Nicu Bizon: Faculty of Electronics, Communications and Computers, University of Pitesti, 110040, Piteşti, Romania
Adrian Onu: R&D Department, ASSIST Software, Romania
Maria Simona Răboacă: Doctoral school, Polytehnic University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Phatiphat Thounthong: Renewable Energy Research Centre (RERC), King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangkok 10800, Thailand
Alin Gheorghita Mazare: Faculty of Electronics, Communications and Computers, University of Pitesti, 110040, Piteşti, Romania
Gheorghe Șerban: Faculty of Electronics, Communications and Computers, University of Pitesti, 110040, Piteşti, Romania

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-30

Abstract: Traditionally, the energy industry has been slow in adopting new disruptive technologies and the transition to a new energy market will require a new digital transformation plan, involving all parties from the energy market. Although it now seems to be an impossible and hard-to-accept scenario, especially by the big players in the industry, the pilot projects so far demonstrate that blockchain can play a major role in the future energy market, even if the technology is still in the first stages of the adoption life cycle. This article attempts to describe a solution to provide alternative irrigation systems for small farmers. The solution involves creating associations of small farmers that will use green energy from photovoltaic panels for the irrigation of agricultural lands. The efficiency of the proposed system can be monitored not only through digital hardware connected to photovoltaic panels and water pumps, but also by using the new blockchain technology that stimulates innovation and growth in the energy and a high level of automation though smart contracts. To accelerate the transition to the green energy economy, a SolarCoin version similar to the Bitcoin cryptocurrency has also been proposed, which is a utility token that creates new possibilities for energy and water trading.

Keywords: irrigation system; photovoltaic water pumping systems (PWPS); floating photovoltaic panels; SCADA; blockchain; SolarCoin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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