Designing a solar and wind hybrid system for small-scale irrigation: a case study for Kalangala district in Uganda
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Energy, Sustainability and Society
Abstract
Dynamics in rainfall patterns are posing a threat to crop production in Uganda. Irrigation can be used
to ensure constant production; however, the motorized powered irrigation methods are quite costly to run in addition
to being environmentally unsustainable. There is thus need for alternative irrigation methods. Renewable energy
sources which are readily available can be used to power irrigation systems. This study hence sought to design an
appropriate wind-solar hybrid system for irrigating 1 acre of banana plantation in Kalangala district, Uganda.
Methods: Using metrological data, mean wind speed and monthly solar irradiance of global radiation horizontal for
the district were analysed. A wind-solar hybrid system was optimally designed for a standalone drip irrigation system of
450 banana plants on 1-acre land with water requirement of 33.73m3 d−1. The wind turbine was simulated to analyse
for static pressure, cut plane flow behaviour, turbulence intensity and stress distribution exposed at 20ms−1 wind
speed. A cost analysis was done to estimate the total project investment, maintenance and operational cost, annual
project gross income, net income stream and the annual net real rate of returns.
Results and conclusions: The simulation results showed that the system could effectively operate at speeds of 20m
s−1 without deformation. The net present value of income stream for the first 5 years at r = 5% was 12,935,468 UGX
with a net real rate of return of 3.5% per year. The study will, therefore, be a useful guideline in making investment
decisions in hybrids irrigation systems.
Description
Keywords
Cost analysis, Irrigation, Kalangala district, Wind-solar hybrid
Citation
Ssenyimba, S., Kiggundu, N., & Banadda, N. (2020). Designing a solar and wind hybrid system for small-scale irrigation: a case study for Kalangala district in Uganda. Energy, Sustainability and Society, 10(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-020-0240-1