Energy Cost Conundrum in Agricultural Irrigation in Turkey. Why is Half of Pumped Irrigation Stored Idle?

Energy cost dilemma in agricultural irrigation. Half of pumped irrigation systems are idle.

Half of pumped irrigation systems cannot be operated due to high energy costs. Although 18 per cent of DSİ irrigations are pumped irrigation, only half of them can be irrigated. Pumped irrigations are out of operation due to energy costs. By placing solar panels on the 221 km Urfa-Ceylanpınar irrigation canal, both evaporation can be reduced and this energy problem can be solved. "Urgent Renewable Resource Development Project for the Problem of Energy Costs in Agricultural Irrigation" with clearly defined targets should be initiated.

In line with the strategy of "reducing foreign dependency in energy" in the energy policies of our country, it is of great importance to ensure sustainability in the operation of irrigation facilities in pumped irrigation, to prevent agricultural production losses and to turn investments into benefits. 

 Direct state support should be increased for projects to meet the energy needs of pumped irrigation facilities that have been put into operation and will be put into operation through renewable energy production facilities to be established by farmers and water user organisations.

When the stages of the pumped irrigation systems in Turkey are analysed, it is seen that 24.87% of the irrigation systems corresponding to an area of 566 726 ha are in operation, 21.29% are under construction, 44.61% are at the project stage, 7.02% are at the planning stage and 1.51% are at the preliminary investigation stage (Table 1).

Currently, construction of pumped irrigation continues in an irrigation area of 485 135 ha. In addition, pumped irrigation projects are being prepared for more than 1 million ha of irrigation area (1). 

Among these projects, especially two or three stage pumped irrigations should be brought into production by finding a sustainable solution to the energy cost problem.

Pumped Irrigation Should be Integrated with Renewable Energy Projects 

The "Communiqué on Supporting Individual Irrigation Systems within the Scope of Rural Development Supports" (Communiqué No: 2021/7) was published in the Official Gazette dated 25 February 2021 and numbered 31406 and entered into force. With this communiqué, 50% grant support was given to solar energy systems to be built for individual irrigation systems. Later, with the amendments made in the communiqué dated 22 February 2022, "Solar energy systems for agricultural irrigation and smart irrigation systems were also included in the scope of support. In addition to real persons, legal entities (collective, limited liability, joint stock companies), Irrigation Cooperatives, Agricultural Development Cooperatives, Agricultural Credit Cooperatives and Irrigation Unions were given the opportunity to apply for Irrigation Grant Support, provided that their main statutes include that they can carry out agricultural production. This change has been very useful, but the provision of 50% grant support for projects up to a maximum of 1.000.000 TL for the purchase of goods as a basis for this grant has been very insufficient for today. 

For this reason, this issue should be reconsidered in the form of a large multi-partner project where water user unions and cooperatives come together and more centralised solutions should be sought. In addition, energy costs should be realistically evaluated in the feasibility study of new pumped irrigation projects.

A total of 630 MW power plant is required for pumped irrigation projects. 

In a study conducted on this subject, it was calculated that the energy costs of pumped irrigation can be met by installing a renewable energy facility (SPP and WPP) with an installed capacity of 630.18 MW for 542.142 ha of the 566.726 ha pumped irrigation area in operation (by producing 1.067.397.196 kWh/year energy)[1].

It is calculated that approximately 3.500.000.000 TL (with 2020 unit prices) of renewable energy production facility investment is required in Turkey in order to meet the energy costs of the pumping irrigation systems in operation. With this investment, it is calculated that 827.000.000 TL agricultural income increase will be provided annually [1]. 

465 MW SPP is needed for 268 000 ha irrigation 

Currently, pre-feasibility studies have been carried out for Gaziantep Belkıs Nizip Irrigation, Şanlıurfa Yaylak, Suruç, Bozova Irrigation, Bursa Uluabat Irrigation, Isparta Atabey Irrigation, Elazığ Uluova Irrigation projects. The total irrigation area of these projects is 268 000 ha and their total annual energy consumption is determined as 778 million kWh.

It is calculated that a total of 465 MW SPP plant is needed for these irrigation networks where SPP plant is planned to be established [1]. 

Solar Energy Panels can be placed on top of the Urfa - Ceylanpınar Irrigation Canal.

Urfa Mardin main irrigation canal with a capacity of 200 m3/s, which transmits water from Atatürk Dam reservoir to Mardin-Ceylanpınar plains, was completed and put into service

The 465 MW solar power plant needed for pumped irrigation can be realised in the most suitable area of the 221 km long main canal between Urfa-Ceylanpınar in the same region. If approximately 175 km of this canal is covered with solar panels, a huge evaporation loss will be prevented and the energy required for the pumped irrigation system of 268 000 ha, for which pre-feasibility studies have been carried out, can be provided. In addition, this project can be developed and increased to 630 MW installed power calculated for the energy requirement of all pumped irrigation systems. 

In DSİ Irrigations, 18 per cent of the net irrigation area is pumped irrigation. 

Among the irrigation facilities developed by DSİ, pumped irrigation areas are 18 per cent of the net area. Among the regions with pumped irrigation, 67% of DSİ 1st Region (Bursa) irrigation is pumped and 33% is gravity irrigation, while 50% of DSİ 18th Region (Isparta) irrigation is pumped and 50% is gravity irrigation. These two regions are followed by DSİ 15th Region (Şanlıurfa) with 45% pumped irrigation. DSİ 17th (Van), DSİ 19th (Sivas) and DSİ 24th (Kars) Regional Directorates do not have any irrigated area by pumping. The Regional Directorates with the least pumped irrigation are DSİ 23rd (Kastamonu) 1%, DSİ 12th (Kayseri) 4% and DSİ 2nd (İzmir) 7%.

Only half of the pumped irrigations are irrigated.

According to 2020 data, the irrigation rate was 69% in the areas opened for irrigation throughout the country, and 31% of the areas opened for irrigation were not irrigated for various reasons. Especially due to the high cost of energy inputs reflected on the agricultural products to be produced, the irrigation rate in the pumped irrigation areas could only be realised as 53%. 

When only the irrigation rates of pumping irrigation are taken as a basis, the highest irrigation rate is more than 70% in Diyarbakır, Edirne, Adana and Şanlıurfa Regional Directorates. On the other hand, in Ankara, Kastamonu and Erzurum Regional Directorates, the irrigation rate of pumped irrigation areas is lower than 10%. 

As of the end of 2020, the electricity actually consumed in pumped irrigation, whose water source is surface water, was 460,741,000 kWh.

In 2020, irrigation facilities serving a total area of 119,452 ha, whose operation, maintenance and management responsibility was transferred to water user organisations, could not be operated due to electricity debt. Considering that in 2020, the average production value increase provided by DSİ irrigation facilities was 2.624 TL/ha, the loss of production value in the said area is 3.1 billion TL.

In our country, it is of great importance to produce the electrical energy consumed in pumped irrigated areas at the most affordable cost. Increasing the net income of farmers by reducing energy costs, which are a huge burden on irrigation unions, irrigation co-operatives and farmers, will ensure technical, economic and social sustainability in irrigation facilities.

Climate change necessitates the most efficient use of our irrigation facilities. In order for irrigation facilities, which play a very important role in ensuring our food security, to be beneficial for all segments of the society, irrigation operating costs, especially electrical energy costs, should be reduced throughout the country. In addition, it is also very important to increase the net irrigated areas, to increase the irrigation rate and to maximise the benefit to be obtained from the investment made for the irrigation project.  

The production of energy to be used in agricultural irrigation from renewable sources such as solar and wind is encouraged by practices such as the establishment of energy cooperatives, the grant contribution of the Ministry of Agriculture and low-interest long-term loans of banks. However, these are insufficient to solve this problem in a widespread manner. Direct project and financing support is needed for the establishment and operation of a large power plant.

In case the power plant to be considered is a solar power plant, the use of solar panels produced in our country, and even the establishment of a solar power plant with storage features will provide advantages in many respects. 

In summary, high energy costs create problems in terms of both water and food security and leave many of our facilities idle. A permanent solution should be brought to this problem. In this context, more radical steps should be taken to enable irrigation unions and irrigation cooperatives to produce the energy required for more efficient and economical operation of pumped irrigation facilities from renewable resources. For this purpose, direct technical project preparation and financing support should be provided by the state. In this regard, an "Urgent Renewable Resource Development Project for the Problem of Energy Costs in Agricultural Irrigation" with clearly defined objectives should be initiated.

Reference

[1] Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı 1. Su Şurası TARIMSAL SULAMA GRUBU ÇALIŞMA BELGESİ Ağustos 2021