| Modernisation Keeping up to date The benefits of investing in modernisation efforts are becoming apparent industry-wide
THE US DEPARTMENT OF Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have created a new software tool, to help analyse the costs and benefits of modernising irrigation. Reinvestment in US irrigation systems has
numerous benefits, such as simultaneously promoting the economic well-being of farmers and rural communities, generating more renewable energy, and advancing environmental stewardship. In addition, such efforts could cut carbon emissions in the farm sector - a priority for the US departments of energy and agriculture in efforts to combat climate change. Irrigation technology has developed to the point
where pressurised pipes can deliver water for irrigation while generating in-conduit hydropower that can be used to power electric pumps that currently rely on diesel. In the future it can also power electric tractors and combines. In addition, the rights of way for these pipes can be used for fibre optic cable, bringing broadband to rural areas that may currently not have high-speed internet options.
INL and PNNL’s IrrigationViz is a decision support and visualisation tool that enables users to estimate: ● How much water is lost by the current system.
● How much water would be saved by specific investments.
● How much hydropower potential there is in the system.
It also estimates higher value crops that could be planted based on the improved water reliability, water purification and habitat benefits of including wetlands, and connectivity between surface and groundwater sources. The tool can help interested parties produce master
plans, enabling them to identify the highest priority projects for their system. Using a combination of public and local data and geographic information systems, the tool helps irrigators produce the plans needed to access federal funding programmes, such as those of the US Department of Agriculture. “The purpose of the tool is to help communities identify the system designs that are right for them,” said Thomas Mosier, INL’s Energy Systems group lead. “The hope is that our tool can help stakeholders identify opportunities to achieve benefits for farmers, local communities and the environment. There used to be this one-size-fits-all modernisation paradigm. The approach we’re seeing today is much more nuanced to the local context.” f
Above: A modern irrigation system includes components that are energy saving (hydropower generation, reduced seepage), environmentally friendly (fish diversion technology) and support water management practices that increase profitability
www.waterpowermagazine.com | January 2022 | 21
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