Energy demands in agriculture Energy efficiency opportunities for the agriculture sector Application of renewable energy in agriculture

1. Renewable energy as an alternative source for
energy management in agriculture
 Introduction
 Energy demands in agriculture
 Energy efficiency opportunities for the agriculture sector
 Application of renewable energy in agriculture
 Solar energy
 Wind energy
 Biomass energy
 Geothermal energy
 Research findings
 Conclusion

2. Introduction
 In the agriculture sector, energy is crucial to address the challenges associated with
food production.
 Needed for different agricultural operations - sowing, irrigation, weeding, fertilizer
application, spraying, harvesting, transportation, refrigeration and drying the
products.
 Population growth, economic and technological development, urbanization and
climate change, energy demand is also increasing at a rapid pace.
 By 2035, the demand for energy in the world is predicted to increase by 50% (IEA,
2010).
 The high input cost to produce food from agriculture will result in increased food
prices, cascading to poverty and hunger, and threatening food security, particularly in
under-developing countries (Waseem et al., 2022).
 Adopting and maintaining the balance between energy demand and economics acts a
significant role in sustainable agriculture goals.
 Intensification of energy usage in agriculture and high input cost could be addressed
by adopting renewable sources and better energy management practices.

3. Fig 1. World consumption of energy
Source: Statistical review of World energy, 2022
Fig 2. Rising need of energy

4. Fig 3. Schematic diagram of the increase in electricity
consumption
(Vivek et al., 2021)

5. Energy demands in agriculture
 The energy demands in agriculture
include irrigation, fertilization and
tools and machinery used for land
preparation, planting, harvesting
and transport.
 Future agriculture farms should be
self-reliant to offset the high
energy cost and global warming,
using renewable energy sources
and efficient nutrient recycling.
 Energy in agriculture can be used
directly or indirectly (Schnepf,
2004).

6. Direct energy
 Direct energy includes energy consumed directly in
various agricultural activities, for instance, to
operate tools and machinery for different farm
activities, vehicles used for transportation, and
drying and refrigeration equipment (Zhou et al.,
2023)
 Decrease in groundwater level needs heavy energy
to pump the water for irrigation.
 Drying process involves heat and mass transfer
hence is high energy demanding process.
 Demand for energy usage in agriculture is
increasing and causing the load on the electricity
grid.
 Renewable sources of energy in the agriculture
sector and efficient energy management practices
will help relieve grid load and reduce input costs
which ensure food security issues (Sharma et al.,
2009).

7. Indirect energy
 Indirect energy use includes the energy
needed to produce fertilizers and
chemicals.
 During 1961–2008, the use of fertilizers
in agriculture increased six times to
fulfill the growing demand for food with
the increase in world population
(Faostat, 2010).
 Around 1.2% of total world energy is
consumed to produce fertilizers for
agriculture (Mikkola and Ahokas, 2010).
 The use of fertilizers will further increase
many folds to meet the growing demand
for food hence increasing the demand for
energy for the agriculture sector.

8. The main challenges of the local agricultural energy systems
might be the following:
 Agricultural by-products have low economic value but great quantity.
 These factors made the marketization problematic (transportation
costs may exceed the real value).
 Therefore, their local utilization is reasonable and energy methods
have high added (or substitutional) value.

9. Cont..
 Photovoltaic panels become increasingly important on farms, typically
on rooftops and occasionally on the ground.
 These types of equipment might occupy land and fluctuations in
electricity production and consumption can cause storage problems,
not only in farms but also in national electric networks.
Fig 4. PV panels on open field

10. Energy efficiency opportunities for
the agriculture sector
• Efficient utilization of energy is critically important to decrease energy
consumption and achieve sustainability in energy management practices.
• Globally, 30% demand for energy is from the agriculture and food sectors
(Day, 2021).
• Therefore, adopting energy-efficient approaches in agriculture is essential to
reduce heavy reliance on energy and reduce the input cost to make the
agriculture sector more competitive to meet the growing demand.
Example:
• To run the water pump for irrigation, the first chemical energy of fossil fuel is
converted to mechanical energy to power the pump shaft.
• This mechanical energy is used to uplift the water at height by converting it to
the potential energy of water.
• The efficiency of converted energy is the ratio of output energy and input
energy.
• In the case of the above example, input energy is the fossil fuel used by the
pump and output energy is the water discharge of the pump.

11. Solar energy
 Solar energy stands out as it is readily available all around the
globe.
 In only one hour, the sun’s rays reach Earth’s surface with more
energy than can be generated by any combination of
conventional energy sources like fossil fuels, hydropower, nuclear
power, etc.
 The average amount of solar energy received by a square meter
of Earth’s surface is 1366 W (Lindsey, 2019) however, this may
vary depending on latitude.
 Different methods are commonly used for obtaining electrical
energy from solar energy: solar capture heating systems,
thermocouples and applying solar panels (Photovoltaic, PV)
systems (Hoogwijk, 2004).
 The global energy mix for the year 2019 revealed that solar
energy increased along with other renewable sources by up to
24% which is almost twice as much when compared with wind
energy (Kapoor et al., 2019).
Source: Hoogwijk, 2004.

12. PV-based pumping system
• When the sunlight strikes the cell, the
positive terminals will move on one side
and negative cells move another side and
then electrons are activated and are stored
in the battery as DC current.
• Most of the solar panels or modules
generate direct current (DC) and supplied
to converter.
• This power can be used to operates the
pump and also to store it in the battery for
later use.
• More cost-effective for power generation
when compared with other electrical grid
or using the generators.
• An eco-friendly system and more suitable
for villages and remote areas.
Fig 5. Working of PV System

13. Particulars Solar water pump Diesel water pump
Available capacity kW (hp) 0.5 to 75 3.7 to 11
Capital cost High Moderate
Running cost No running cost Very high
Maintenance cost Negligible High
Routine maintenance Only panel cleaning once a
week
Diesel lubrication minor
&major servicing required,
periodic overhauling must
Part replacement Moderate Worn out parts need to be
replaced often
Operator No operator required, auto
start / stop possible
Operator required
Other utilization PV array can be used for
electricity generation when
the pump is not running
No
Environmental aspect Silent & pollution free green
power
High air pollution and noise
pollution
Limitation Works on solar during day
time only
High fuel & maintenance cost
Table 1. Comparing the Solar water pump and Diesel water pump
(Kanna et al., 2020)

14. Shading Effects on Solar Panels
 During the sunny days, the produced power will be maximum,
and sudden clouds shading will reduce the PV system
efficiency and output.
 Partial shading has a significant effect on PV panels’
production.
 The shaded cell absorbs electric power generated by the
unshaded cells, and this condition caused the hot spots that
can damage the PV panels.
 At 50% shading, the experimental result shows that the
output power reduced more than 30% (Dolara et al., 2013)
 The shading can be from the accumulated dust that in time
will reduce the efficiency of the system.
 In the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, after the four
months of dust accumulation, the PV panel output reduces by
55% (Olivares et al., 2017).
 Coating PV panels with fluorine super-hydrophobic film and
silicon super-hydrophobic film to reduce the dust effect and
the application of fluorine super-hydrophobic is more effective
(Wang et al. 2018).
Fig 5. Cloud shading
Fig 6. Shading by vegetation
Fig 7. Deposition of dust particles

15. Solar Pumps as Cash Crops: Harnessing the Sun to produce
food, generate electricity and increase incomes
(Indian Express,2015)
 A pilot project, implemented in the state of Gujarat under the Solar Power as a Remunerative Crop
programme initiative of the International Water Management Institute, has showcased the
effectiveness of such a solution.
 A grid-tied solar system of 8 kilowatt per hour was allowed to export surplus power to the grid at
Rs.5 per unit.
 In June 2015, the farmer received Rs.7500 as compensation for electricity fed into the grid over a
period of four months.
 Purchasing surplus power from each individual farmer involves high transaction costs for the
electricity utility.
 In Dhundi village in Gujarat, the second field pilot project of the International Water Management
Institute has organised six solar pump irrigators into a Solar Pump Irrigators’ Cooperative
Enterprise.
 These solar farmers are connected through a mini-grid which will pool their surplus power and
evacuate it at a single point (Nair, 2015).
 Further aggregation can be made at the feeder level wherein solar capacity (1-2 megawatts) is
developed feeding directly into the rural distribution network.
 Combining efforts to replace all pumps with energy efficient ones would ensure optimum utilisation,
bring down costs and ensure a reliable supply.
 Such an aggregated approach could be more cost effective and manageable, and could open private
sector opportunities for public-private partnership alliances with local distribution companies
(Prayas, 2015).

16. Floating solar power plant commissioned by Greater Visakhapatnam
Municipal Corporation at Meghadri Gedda reservoir.
(Hindustan Times, March 10 2024)
 The power plant, started on 12 acres of area, can
produce 4.2 million units of power every year.
 The official added that the floating solar power plant
will also result in saving 54,000 tonnes of coal and
reducing emissions.
 The commercial operation of the final part capacity of
20 MW out of 100 MW Ramagundam Floating Solar
PV Project, taking the total commercial operation of
floating solar capacity in the Southern Region to 217
MW.
 The entire floating system is being anchored through
special HMPE (High Modulus Polyethylene) rope to
the dead weights placed in the balancing reservoir
bed.
Fig 8. 100 MW Floating Solar Power Project fully
operationalized at NTPC-Ramagundam.

17. Fig 9. Floating PV advantages and challenges

18. Sowing and Spraying machines based on solar
energy
 Pesticide sprayers using solar energy are designed for small
and marginal farmers to enhance crop productivity.
 These machines can be easily handled and moved owing to
their overall small design.
 They also possess rechargeable batteries along with PV
panels.
 As spraying activities are usually performed during the day,
these machines can be charged from direct sunlight as they
are being used.
 Machines used for seed sowing can also prove to be
beneficial for small farmers and in areas where conventional
machines do not have easy access.
 Hence automatic solar-based sprayers and sowing machines
will enable small farmers to quail from traditional heavy
agricultural machinery (Naween, 2009).
Fig 10. Solar Seeder
Fig 11. Solar powered Knapsack sprayer

19.  M. Subash Chandra Bose is studying in eighth
standard in St. Sebasthiyar Matriculation School,
Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu.
 He participated in the National Level Science
Competition Ignite – 2015 held at IIM
Ahamedabad.
 He received ‘Dr APJ Abdul kalam Ignite Award-
2015’ from Honorable President Shri Pranab
Mukherji for his innovation“Solar Seeder”.
 It can seed the seeds like black gram, groundnut,
green gram and chick peas.
 Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Anandiben Patel
announced that the Solar Seeder will be supplied
to all the local farmers.
 Patent Application Number - 6343/CHE/2015
(National Innovation Foundation – India, 2015)

20. Development of animal drawn solar powered sprayer
• Developed and fabricated in the workshop of the
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, IGKV, Raipur.
• Tested on soybean crop with spacing of 30 x 10 cm.
• Capacity of the PV module was 40 Watt.
• Average discharge rate of 240 l/h was obtained at an
operating pressure of 4 kg/ cm2.
• Capable to discharge the chemical spray solution of
432 l/ha and the adjustment of discharge depends
upon the operating pressure.
• The actual field capacity was found to be 0.52 ha/hr
with the field efficiency of 83%.
• Capable of covering 4 rows at a stretch over the
field crop.
• Average power output for a pair of bullock has been
worked out and found to be 0.87 kW.
• High ground clearance of 0.5 m provided in the
sprayer unit does not damage the crop during
spraying
• The cost of operation of the machine was found
Rs.274.25/ha and the total cost of the machine was
Rs.12000.
Fig 12. Isometric view of developed animal drawn
solar powered sprayer
Source: Vikram et al., (2021)
1. Solar PV module
2. Chemical storage tank
3. Boom extension
4. Boom/Lance
5. Nozzle
6. Pressure gauge
7. Pump
8. MPT mainfram
9. Wheel
10. Battery
11. Switch board
12. Solar charge controller

21. Solar-assisted drying
 One of the most widely used applications of
energy gained by solar in agriculture is
value addition via drying systems.
 Based on heating arrangement dryers are
categorized into active and passive dryers.
 Dryers that transfer heat from solar energy
via external means (i.e., pumps and fans) are
known as active dryers.
 Whereas in passive dryers, heat flow is
carried out by natural means via buoyancy
force or wind pressure and in some cases by
combining both (Pohekar et al., 2005).
 Efficient in reducing the consumption of
fuels, processing time and area for work
(Munir and Hensel, 2009).
Fig 13. Forced convection solar dryer

22. Comparison, design and performance evaluation of Solar
Dryer for Chillies
T1 = collector plate inlet temperature,
T2 = collector plate outlet temperature,
T3 = drying chamber lower tray temperature,
T4 = drying chamber upper tray temperature,
T5 = exhaust air temperature,
Ta = ambient temperature
Tab 2. Temperature reading at various location in natural solar
dryer
Tab 3. Temperature reading at various location in forced convection
solar dryer Fig 14. Variation of chilly mass with days
(Mayank and Ashish, 2020)

23. Solar distillation for oil extraction
 Essential oils are the volatile byproducts of the
distillation of plant materials, whether by steam or
water and include a complex variety of chemical
components responsible for their defining features.
 The cost of production on conventional distillation
systems is very high.
 On the other hand, a solar-based distillation
system is very cost effective, coherent and energy-
optimal (Bachheti et al., 2011).
 Solar-based distillation system effectively utilizes
heat radiation thus proving itself an energy saving
process.
 The quality and quantity of Eucalyptus oil
obtained using the conventional and solar based
distilled systems were found to be same (Hossain et
al., 2011 ).
Fig 15. Solar distillation system

24. A solar steam distillation system for extracting lavender volatile oil
Fig 16. View of the constructed solar steam
distillation system
Fig 17. The solar steam distillation system
Tab 4. Comparison between the product quality of the lavender volatile oil extracted by the constructed system and
the extraction system made by Pinto et al., (2007).
Properties The constructed
extraction system
The extraction system
by Pinto et al. (2007)
Linalool (%) 37.6 33.7
Linalyl acetate (%) 18.4 2.2
Camphor (%) 7.3 7.8
Terpineol-4-ol (%) 3.3 3.3
Cymene (%) 5.4 0.4
Source: Radwan et al., (2020)

25. Solar-powered vehicles
 Vehicles run farm on oil involved in farm activities such as planting,
ploughing, harvesting, etc., which not only increases the cost of farming but
also harms the environment by generating carbon dioxide (Munir and Hensel,
2010).
 Solar-based vehicles therefore, become a viable option that million can work
using PV modules and batteries respectively.
Fig 18. Solar powered tractor

26. Solar-powered farm rickshaw for agricultural transport
Fig 19. The operating principle of the developed solar powered farm rickshaw
Fig 20. Different views of developed solar powered farm rickshaw
(Lanjekar et al., 2023)

27. Particulars Specification
Power source Solar
Length × Width × Height (mm) 2450 × 1250 × 1800
Ground clearance (mm) 250
Weight (kg) 295
Weight capacity for cargo (kg) 300
No. of solar panel 3
Rated maximum power (P max ) 150 W ± 3% 8.13 A
Dimensions of motor (mm) 250 × 200 × 150
Power 1200 W
Voltage 48 V
Battery Type Lithium ion
Weight (kg) 14.28 kg
Charging time 8 hrs
Tab 5. Specification of the solar powered farm
rickshaw
Fig 21. Effect of different applied loads and roads
on distance covered per charge
Source: Lanjekar et al., (2023)

28. Solar-powered agricultural robots
 Solar-powered agricultural robots offer enormous
potential for establishing agriculture activities such as
sowing, weeding, ploughing, spraying and harvesting in
greenhouses and open-field farms (Samuel and Beera,
2013).
 Agriculture robots are now powered by rechargeable
batteries and electric motors, so combining a PV
module with them is a viable solution (Olosunde et al.,
2009).
 Several firms are doing development and research
initiatives to create smart weeding robots that use
digital cameras to distinguish crop rows and gather
large-scale field views using image processing methods
that are compatible with agricultural procedures.
 As a result, such robots may offer the potential to
present sustainable solutions and lower the cost of
agricultural operations (Balasuadhakar et al., 2016).
Fig 22. Solar weeder

29. Solar Powered Autonomous Multipurpose Agricultural Robot Using Bluetooth/Android App
Fig 23. Block diagram of the Automated Seed Sowing, Grass Cutting and
Pesticide Sprayer Robot Using Bluetooth/Android App.
Fig 24. Flowchart of the Automated Seed Sowing, Grass Cutting and
Pesticide Sprayer Robot Using Bluetooth/Android App
(Ranjitha et al., 2019)

30. Fig 25. Snapshot of the Automated Seed Sowing, Grass Cutting and Pesticide Sprayer
Robot Using Bluetooth/Android App
Fig 26. Snapshot of Grass cutting mechanism
Fig 27. Snapshot of seed Pesticide sprayer mechanism. Fig 28. Snapshot of seed sowing mechanism
Fig 29. Snapshot of Bluetooth/Android App
Source: Ranjitha et al., (2019)

31. Wind energy
• Wind power differs from solar power in the sense that it is daily available for 24 hrs.
• Using wind energy is not only reliable but cost-effective for providing power to farmlands for various
purposes.
• Water pumps for irrigation can be operated by wind turbines and thereby, eradicating the need and
cost of installing electrical equipment such as transformers, electric lines and poles (Hasan et al.,
2019).
• Due to the high capital investment in the wind sector policymakers and investors are inclined towards
developing alternatives to minimize the difference between cost and benefits.
• Countries like Turkey, which have 3500 wind turbines with an installed capacity of over 7600 MW,
are major users of such systems.
• In the US, wind farms are usually installed in agricultural lands located in the Midwest, through the
effect of microclimate wind turbines may potentially affect crop growth (Sutar and Butale, 2020).
• Plant respiration may increase during night-time due to the warming effect whereas, the changes in
water and carbon dioxide may attribute towards photosynthesis and transpiration during daytime.
• A 14% enhancement of output energy from a wind farm was observed when the crop underneath it is
changed from corn to soybeans was observed (Ali et al., 2016).

32. Cont..
• In the year 2018, the global wind power
market grew by 51 GW to reach the total
installed capacity of 591 GW.
• China is the world leader in wind power with
approximately 210 GW installed capacity.
• The USA is the second-largest then Germany
and India.
• Large wind turbines have a larger swept area,
they are powerful and can reduce the cost of
the generated renewable power.
• The modern wind turbines are rated between
0.5 and 2 MW with a rotor diameter ranges
from 40 to 90 m.
Fig 30. The global wind energy (installed GW)
Fig 31. Wind and solar energies - the top six countries
(Singh et al., 2022)

33. Fig 32. Cumulative installed capacity (CIC) of wind power (GW) 2020
Fig 33. Global top countries in the world with renewable power capacities
(Singh et al., 2022)

34. India’s electricity supply status by state in the fiscal year 2019–2020.
Table 6. Yearly electricity generation from wind energy (MU), from 2014
to 2020.
Source: Ministry of Natural and Renewable Energy, 2021

35. Comparison of producing greenhouse gas emissions for different energy
generation systems
Energy system g CO2/kWh
Coal 975
Gas 608
Oil 742
Nuclear 24
Wind 9.7-16.5
Hydro 10-13
Geothermal 38
Tab 8. Land use intensity for different energy systems
System Land use
m2/MWh
Wind
72
1
PV 28–64
Geothermal 18–74
Coal 0.2-5
Tab 7. Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions for
different energy generation systems
(Alshare et al., 2022)

36. Biomass energy
• Biomass includes various plants produced via photosynthesis and their by-products (Armstrong et
al., 2014).
• Bioenergy is a crucial part of the overall energy economy, having a share of 9.5% of the total
primary energy and around 70% share of the total renewable usage (Saeed et al., 2019).
• This bioenergy is not only utilized for domestic purposes involving heating and cooking but also
consumed by various small industries (i.e., brick and charcoal kilns).
• It can fulfill the agri food sector and beyond demands for heat, power and transportation fuels
(Rodrigo et al., 2017).
• Using biomass from crops, including grain and plant parts, as raw material for bioenergy generation
may strive with food supplies and also may eradicate crucial parts of plants that help in sustaining
the productivity and structure of the soil.
• Biofuels presently are sucrose or starch-based ethanol derived from biomass.
• Ethanol having a high-octane number can be mixed with gasoline in small proportions for direct
usage in internal combustion engines.
• These engines can be used to perform various farming related tasks such as ploughing, irrigation
and machine operation.
Fig 34. Life cycle of Biomass energy

37. Fig 35. Global Bioenergy production trend
Source: Statista (2022)

38. Tab 9. Composition of major agriculture biomass
As a directly combustible fuel
 About 4.9 million tons of cereal straw was used to produce
energy and 1.5 billion m3 of biogas can be produced
utilizing combustion processes (Acharya et al., 2019)
As a gaseous fuel
 Germany hosts about 50% of the bio-methane production
plants based on agriculture biomass as a precursor
material (Einarsson et al., 2017).
As liquid fuel
 Wheat straw contains more than 80% cellulose and
hemicellulose material, which is a good source of fuel and
can be transformed into xylose and glucose, and later into
bio-ethanol (Patzek et al., 2005).
For generating electric power
 The European Union is running various power plants for
electricity generation utilizing agriculture biomass. A 38
MW electric power plant constructed in Cambridgeshire,
UK uses straw as fuel (Saeed et al., 2015).
Agriculture biomass as fuel in various forms
Source: Saleem (2022)

39. Geothermal energy
• Geothermal energy is a non-carbon native
environmentally friendly renewable-energy
resource contained in the interior earth it is
normally attributed to volcanic and tectonic
activity beneath the surface of the earth (Tang et
al., 2017).
• The heat used in the geothermal process is
normally stored in rocks found at depths of the
earth’s surface and also in hydrothermal
reservoirs at elevated temperatures (Rajewski et
al., 2014).
• It may be noted that the rate of extracting heat
from geothermal reservoirs is normally faster than
replenishing the used heat which is dependent on
the geothermal applications, geological time scale
and the method adopted to reinject heat (Moravec
et al., 2018).

40. Cont..
• In many countries, geothermal energy in agriculture is most commonly used for
greenhouse heating.
• Advantages of greenhouse heating include an extension of cultivating time for out-of
season vegetables and flowers.
• Different methods are available to achieve feasible plant growth dependent on optimum
conditions such as the quantity of light, temperature, CO2 concentration, airflow and
humidity of the soil and within the greenhouse.
• Heating of greenhouses can be achieved by circulating hot water via pipes or ducts or on
the floor, forced air flow in heat exchangers.
• The cost of operating a greenhouse accounts for 35% of product (i.e., vegetables, fruits,
tree seedlings and indoor plants) costs, which can be reduced significantly by using
geothermal heat.
• Pipes, heat exchangers and pumps may require maintenance regularly as geothermal
fluids tend to leave deposits due to their chemical composition.
• As a result of implementing geothermal technology, the Netherlands has seen a major
increase in tomato production (Helal et al., 2022).

41. Geothermal Resources
Hydrothermal source
Dry and pure steam with the temperature
above 240°C.
The majority of these resources have moderate
temperature ranging from 100°C to 180°C
Geopressured reservoirs
It is hot water trapped underground at the
depth of about 4km to 9.1km with temperature
about 150°C stored under pressure of about
1000 bar from the weight of overlying rock.

43. Tab 10. Physical Achievement - Programme /Scheme wise Cumulative Physical Progress as on December,
2023
Source: MNRE, (2024)

44. Conclusion
 Transitioning to alternative energy sources for energy management in
agriculture holds great promise for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
improving energy efficiency and promoting sustainability in food production.
 However, achieving these goals requires concerted efforts to address challenges
and barriers while embracing renewable energy technologies and practices.
 By advancing energy management practices and promoting the adoption of
renewable energy in agriculture, we can contribute to a more sustainable and
resilient agricultural sector, ensuring food security, mitigating climate change
and fostering overall sustainable development.

45. Thank you..