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3. Photovoltaic Irrigation Systems Components 311

FIGURE 9.17
STP 10000 TL inverter. SMA Solar Technology source.

3.2 PHOTOVOLTAIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
Irrigation systems are usually composed of the following parts:

• A source of water: a reservoir, an uptake from a collective water distribution
network or a well
• Water storage facilities, such as tanks or reservoirs
• A system head that comprises both the pumping system and other complemen-
tary equipment such as fertigation, filtration, and measurement and control
devices
• An on-farm irrigation network that conveys the irrigation water to the emitters
• The irrigation application method. In PV irrigation, pressurized irrigation
methods are commonly used, namely, sprinkler or drip irrigation
Most of the components of a PV irrigation system do not differ substantially,
neither in their design, nor in their management, from those used in other conven-
tional irrigation system. The design and management of any irrigation system
depends on the type of crop and cropping techniques, climatic conditions, soils,
water availability and quality, and other technical and socioeconomic constraints.
In this chapter, we are going to focus on those differential aspects that must be
taken into consideration regarding the design and management of PV irrigation sys-
tems that are not connected to the grid.