Design of Solar-powered Irrigation System based on Penman-Monteith Model

The evolution of technology is very fast changing and becomes a major factor in globalization. In the field of farming, multiple technologies have been introduced and tried to alleviate the farming difficulties brought by the current era of climate change but one of the most pressing problems for our farming sector is how to utilize the resources available in a more cost-friendly way such as the utilization of renewable energy based on actual conditions present on their farming area. The Philippines is annually devastated by typhoons resulting in property and infrastructure damages, one of which is the irrigation system. According to National Irrigation Authority, many irrigation facilities has been established in 1963, and currently, most farmers are adapting the pump irrigation system as an alternative because of the accumulated damages from natural calamities. This study aims to provide a design that can be used and adapted by our local farmers to cut their process costs, especially in the use of their diesel pump system with an alternative photovoltaic pump system. This paper presents a design of a solar-powered irrigation system based on the Penman-Monteith model of evapotranspiration to provide an alternative but reliable solution for the problems identified.