Photovoltaic (PV) panels are often used for agricultural operations, especially in remote areas or where the use of an alternative energy source is desired. In particular, they have been demonstrated time and time again to reliably produce sufficient electricity directly from solar radiation (sunlight) to power livestock and irrigation watering systems.
A benefit of using solar energy to power agricultural water pump systems is that increased water requirements for livestock and irrigation tend to coincide with the seasonal increase of incoming solar energy. When properly designed, these PV systems can also result in significant long-term cost savings and a smaller environmental footprint compared to conventional power systems.
The volume of water pumped by a solar- powered system in a given interval depends on the total amount of solar energy available in that time period. Specifically, the flow rate of the water pumped is determined by both the intensity of the solar energy available and the size of the PV array used to convert that solar energy into direct current (DC) electricity.