ODSIS Tool
The Optimal Design of Solar Irrigation System (ODSIS) is a solar pumping system sizing tool for small farms (off-grid and on-grid) in all areas.
ODSIS Tool calculates the required PV nominal power to be installed based on the satisfaction of the crop irrigation water needs during the peak period of the irrigation season, i.e., the period when water requirements are maximal. In addition, sometimes a reservoir is necessary to meet the irrigation needs. In some cases, the use of a reservoir avoids implementing a larger PV array, and with this, it allows: (i) to reduce the space occupied by the array, especially if panels are installed on the ground, (ii) to minimize the energy wasted, and (iii) to decrease the investment cost due to the reduction of the panels’ number, and the reservoir construction requires a small amount of money in this area.
In a given locality, this tool allows users to know the estimated output of the PV array during all hours of the day, in order to verify whether the irrigation demands will be satisfied. Several input data are required, such as irradiation and temperature, altitude, azimuth angle, tilt angle of the PV modules, and the albedo, among others. In addition, this tool also allows the assessment of the investment cost, considering the cost of the PV pumping system components (pump and photovoltaic array components), as well as the irrigation system at the plot level, i.e., the pipes and emitters. Finally, the tool estimates the GHG emissions avoided by the replacement of the use of a diesel generator by the use of the PV energy.
The tool is an easy-to-use Excel package which consists of a set of sheets (376) in which users have to fill in specific data for a given site. Starting with a first “Read me” sheet, the user must enter data only on the first 11 sheets, which are: The Read me sheet, the Geometric factor sheet, the Beam and diffuse irradiance sheet, the Irradiance on collector plane sheet, the Photovoltaic power controller sheet, the Power transferred to the pump sheet, the Net Power in the peak period sheet, the Summary sheet, the Investment sheet, the Grid electricity emission factor sheet, and the GHG emission sheet. The GHG emission sheet is followed by 365 sheets. These sheets give an overview of the fulfilment of irrigation water requirements during the irrigation hours each day of the year.
Therefore, “Read me” sheet gives the meaning of all the symbols and an overview of all the formulas used for the calculation of the pump and generator power throughout the tool. The optimal size of the PV array is determined based on the results of the “Summary” sheet. The investment cost and the environmental effect are determined once the optimal generator size is obtained.
This tool was developed under the collaboration between the Institute of Sustainable Agriculture (AIS-CSIC), the University Gaston Berger of Saint-Louis (UGB) and the University of Cordoba (UCO).
Contacts : Aminata SARR, UGB, aminatasarr122@gmail.com; Aida Merida García, UCO, g82megaa@uco.es; Juan Antonio R. Díaz, UCO, ma2rodij@uco.es;Lamine Diop, UGB, lamine.diop@ugb.edu.sn; Luciano Mateos, CSIC, luciano.mateos@ias.csic.es