As reported by Canal Solar in May was installed on a rural property in Goiás, the world's first hybrid system in irrigation application, being a milestone for the photovoltaic market.
The project, which is supplied through a 773 kWp solar system and operates in the form of a microgrid – which is a fully autonomous and stable microgrid, without the need to complement the electrical grid – enabled rural producers to triple their production of grains.
“We are talking about a farm that had, on average, one harvest per year. We managed to increase the production of this farm from one to three harvests per year. Even in the midst of the pandemic, the producer managed to triple its product offering. If this could, in some way, be replicated, how much more food would we have available to combat hunger”, said the electrical engineer Rogério Mattos, director of Ideatek, company that participated in the installation of the system.
“I often say that the project we participated in in Goiás was a watershed moment. It was the most impressive thing to see the size of the solution that was delivered to this producer. This is a region that goes, for example, 200, 250 days without a single drop of rain. So, he was a visionary, he had a lot of courage to make an investment like this”, highlighted Mattos.
Considering all the benefits, such as productivity gains and avoided costs, the payback (initially calculated in 6 years) can be even more attractive. The estimate is that the end customer will see a 60% reduction in daily diesel consumption. “Farmers have a lot to gain from this type of solution. The return on investment is impressive”, highlighted the engineer.
“It inspires us. It makes us increasingly confident and motivated to propose new solutions, develop new projects and support sustainable development”, concluded the executive.
Solar energy on rural properties grows 120%
The installed power of solar energy in Brazilian rural areas doubled in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. This is what an exclusive survey carried out by the Canal Solar.
In the first six months of this year, photovoltaic energy on rural properties reached 142 MW of power, an increase of 120% compared to 63 MW from January to June last year.
