Solar Energy
Solar energy is a renewable resource. It can be used in a sustainable manner to help improve the agroiculture by using following techniques
Solar
Dryers
Solar dryers use the thermal energy of
the sun to dry crops. These solar dryers allow controlled drying by managing
the drying parameters such as moisture content, air temperature, humidity and
airflow rate. Solar dryers can be used to protect grain and fruit, reduce
losses but the only problem is that sometimes the cost of the solar collector
can be high and drying rates are not as controllable as they are with natural
gas or propane powered dryers.
Pakistan Agricultural
Research Council (PARC) is introducing and transferring solar dryer technology
to local farmers of Sukkur Region to produce export quality solar dried dates
and by products of dried banana and it is also being used in Northern areas
Contribution to sustainable development
Solar crop drying technologies can replace
moderate amounts of fuel wood or fossil fuels currently used in developing
countries for the process of crop drying.
3.2 Photovoltaic (PV) Water Pumping:
Photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system is the most effective
water pumping option at locations without power line. The solar water pumping
system is a stand-alone system operating on power generated by using solar PV
(Photovoltaic) system. When properly sized and installed, PV water pumps
are very reliable and require little maintenance. Although today’s prices for
PV panels make most crop irrigation systems too expensive, PV systems are very
cost effective for remote livestock water supply, pond aeration, and small
irrigation systems. Now in
Pakistan under project “Khushal Kisaan Khushaal Pakistan” government has
installed solar water pumps in remote agricultural areas.
Contribution to sustainability:
·
Zero air pollution: operation without exhaust &
greenhouse gases
·
Simple calculation of the carbon dioxide emissions from
different fossil fuels for a water pumping system proves that PV water pumping
system does not have any adverse effect on the environment.
·
Reliable power supply from the sun against climatic risk
because PV pumping systems are designed for 24h/7 days a week operation in all
climatic conditions
3.3 Solar
Greenhouses:
Solar Greenhouse is a completely new,
sustainable, affordable and energy-efficient combination of technologies. Solar
greenhouses are designed to collect solar energy during sunny days and also to
store heat for use at night or during periods when it is cloudy. They can
either stand alone or be attached to houses or barns. A solar greenhouse may be
an underground pit, a shed-type structure, or a quonset hut. Large-scale
producers use free-standing solar greenhouses, while attached structures are
primarily used by home-scale growers. In Skardu, under Satpara Development
project 175 solar greenhouses were built
Types:
·
Passive
A passive solar greenhouse does not involve use of mechanical
devices. Passive solar greenhouses are often good choices for small growers,
because they are a cost-efficient way for farmers to extend the growing season
·
Active
Active solar greenhouses use supplemental
energy to move solar heated air or water from storage or collection areas to
other regions of the greenhouse
Contribution
to sustainability:
·
A solar greenhouse reduces the need for fossil fuels for
heating.
·
According to a study the objective of the solar
greenhouse was high value crop production without the use of fossil fuels. The
realizable energy saving is almost 40 %. The next reduction in fossil fuel
requirement was accomplished by capturing solar energy from the greenhouses.
Then the total realizable energy saving is more than 60%.
Refereces:
·
Agricultural
Applications of Solar Energy. (2002). Retrieved from http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/24/23989.htm
·
Satpara Development project. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://akrsp.org.pk/index.php/economic-pillar/satpara-development-project/
