(111) Solar Energy as an Alternative for Irrigating a Pecan Orchard

John Ed Smith, University of Georgia, Alma, GA, James Jacobs, University of Georgia, Blackshear, GA, and Dane Smith, USDA-NRCS, Blackshear, GA

Session: Poster session

Solar energy is an alternative energy source that is present everyday with some amount of intensity and is a free source of power that can be captured.  One use of this power can be to power pumps for irrigation purposes.  In 2005 funds were secured from the Conservation Innovation Grant program from NRCS to install and demonstrate the use of solar power to irrigate a small pecan orchard.  The demonstration site uses an array of 12 solar panels capable of producing 1560 Watts of power to supply irrigation water to a drip system watering 45 mature pecan trees.  Watering requirements for the trees is 1 gal per minute per tree per day.  As purchased cost of the solar system was $11,500 dollars in 2006.  This cost is steadily decreasing as technology and manufacturing technology improves.  In the first year of operation, the installed solar system provide ample water to provide a better crop than the existing irrigation system.  The drip irrigation system is feed from a pond adjacent to the solar pumping system.  Other than a few minor problem in the initial set-up and operation the system performed as would be expected.  A field day to show and explain the system attracted over 70 persons which was triple the expected attendance.  The demonstration project has been used as an educational outlet for the use of solar energy to provide irrigation and save line electricity.  Research aspects of the system will be conducted in the second year of operation to collect data, both power production as well as economic on the viability of this type system being used for small agricultural uses. 

Gary L. Hawkins
University of Georgia
Bio and Ag Engineering
P.O. Box 748
Tifton, GA, 31793-0748, USA
Phone: (229) 386-3914
Fax (229) 386-3958
E-mail: ghawkins@uga.edu

John Ed Smith
University of Georgia
Bacon County-Regional Post-Harvest Fruit/Vegetable Research Center
203 South Dixon Street, Suite #3
Agricultural Complex
Alma, GA, 31510-2703, USA
Phone: (912) 632-5601
Fax: (912) 632-6910
E-mail: jesmith@uga.edu

James Jacobs
University of Georgia
Pierce County Extension Office
P.O. Box 228
Blackshear, GA, 31516-0228, USA
Phone: (912) 449-2034
Fax: (912) 449-8005
E-mail: jamesj@uga.edu

Dane Smith
USDA-NRCS
Blackshear Service Center
709 Hendry St
Blackshear, GA, 31516-1019, USA
Phone: (912) 449-5303X3
Fax: (912) 449-6273
dane.smith@ga.usda.gov