Techno-Economic Analysis and Challenges on Grid Integration of Solar Irrigation Pumps in Bangladesh

Irrigation is an important area of Bangladesh where most cases it depends on fossil fuels, either diesel-powered irrigation systems or grid electricity-operated irrigation systems. Solar irrigation is an alternative way to promote clean energy in the irrigation sector which is in line to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). A business model is essential for the promotion of Solar Irrigation Pumps (SIP), where alternative use of water and electricity after irrigation may play a vital role to make the business viable of solar irrigation pumps. Grid integration of SIP is one of the alternative uses where the techno-economic viability of SIP grid integration is an important issue to make acceptable to the solar irrigation operators. The government of Bangladesh published a dedicated grid integration guideline for SIP. Interested solar irrigation pump operators can take this facility by adding grid integration-related connections and additional equipment to their projects to supply surplus electricity into the distribution grid after irrigation uses. This paper analyzes the grid integration-related integration costing and surplus electricity pricing to understand the techno-economic viability of grid integration of solar irrigation pumps. According to the analysis result, higher-capacity solar irrigation pumps are financially viable for grid integration up to a certain distance. Also, this study gives a financial viability analysis of the combined grid integration of multiple SIPs.