The National Irrigation Administration, a government agency in the Philippines, has revealed that two solar arrays built over canals for irrigation have recently been put into operation. The agency also stated that by the end of this year, the country will have 147 solar irrigation projects completed, with plans to finish 183 projects by 2024.
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), a government agency under the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture, recently disclosed its plans to develop 183 solar irrigation projects next year, representing a significant 24.4% increase from the 147 projects completed in the current year.
The projects completed this year encompassed a total of 830 hectares of agricultural land and had a total cost of 1,643,583,002 Philippine Pesos (approximately 29 million USD). As of September 15, 17 solar irrigation projects have been completed. The agency anticipates that the projects slated for the upcoming year will cost an estimated 1,720,984,000 Philippine Pesos and will irrigate an impressive 2,168 hectares of agricultural land.
Within the completed projects, two photovoltaic arrays were strategically deployed on top of irrigation canals. Solar canal projects have been experiencing a surge in popularity on a global scale, with recent initiatives announced in countries such as Spain, India, France, the United States, and Pakistan. However, only a limited number of these projects have materialized thus far. These innovative endeavors harness solar energy to generate electricity while ingeniously utilizing the canal space, which reduces water evaporation and eliminates the need for additional land usage.
The two projects discussed here are located in the central region of Luzon, specifically the 350-hectare Buspan Solar Pump Irrigation System in Malamig and the Anbuspa Solar Pump Irrigation System in Tibagan. The latter closely replicates the NIA Region 3 Phase III project in Bulacan, which involves the installation of 155 solar panels with a capacity of 60 kW on top of irrigation canals.
The NIA has expressed its dedication to promoting solar irrigation projects, with the primary goal of replacing “costly diesel pumps” with more sustainable solar pumps. They firmly believe that solar energy is not only the “most accessible” but also the most economically viable among all renewable energy sources.
In a statement, the agency highlighted, “With the soaring prices of gasoline and diesel, these projects can continue to irrigate lands without incurring the high cost of fuel.” The technology underlying these projects comprises solar panels, pumps, electronic pump controllers, storage tanks, and a transmission system. Due to their significantly lower operational costs, solar pumps are considered a more cost-effective alternative to traditional fuel-powered irrigation pumps.
A report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in 2022 reveals the Philippines’ ambitious goal of achieving 15 GW of clean energy installations by the year 2030. Given the country’s archipelagic nature, the emphasis is likely to be placed on microgrids and independent clean power systems.
