Sustainable energy for agricultural irrigation in Ethiopia: techno-economic and life cycle analysis of solar versus diesel pumps
Abstract
This research presents a techno-economic and environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) comparison between diesel water pumps (DWP) and solar water pumps (SWP) for smallholder irrigation in Ethiopia. To evaluate long-term operational sustainability amid volatile fossil fuel markets, local hydrologic conditions, and rural decarbonization targets, the study uses an integrated three-stage simulation architecture of the CLIMWAT database, CROPWAT, and PVsyst. To deliver the required annual irrigation water volume for a 9-month double irrigation season, we use a 9.6 PV array with a 79% performance ratio. The dynamic 20-year projection period Net Present Cost (NPC) analysis indicates that the SWP system stands at $80,065, securing a net lifetime savings of a 38% reduction in cost compared to DWP. Financial feasibility metrics confirm SWP’s strong investment returns, effectively yielding an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 16%. From a 20-year environmental lifecycle perspective, the SWP system eliminates 9.90 t CO ₂ per year, but its upstream embedded manufacturing debt is 9,144.10 kg CO ₂ -e, which secures a net lifetime climate mitigation of a 95% footprint reduction. These empirical findings confirm that SWP systems offer a technically reliable, financially advantageous, and environmentally resilient framework for enhancing energy-water-food security and climate adaptation across Ethiopia.
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BibTeX
@article{berhe2026sustainable,
title = {{Sustainable energy for agricultural irrigation in Ethiopia: techno-economic and life cycle analysis of solar versus diesel pumps}},
author = {Hagos Gebrekidan Berhe and Gebrehiwot Muruts Kebedew},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-74419-1},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74419-1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Sustainable energy for agricultural irrigation in Ethiopia: techno-economic and life cycle analysis of solar versus diesel pumps
AU - Hagos Gebrekidan Berhe
AU - Gebrehiwot Muruts Kebedew
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-74419-1
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74419-1
AB - This research presents a techno-economic and environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) comparison between diesel water pumps (DWP) and solar water pumps (SWP) for smallholder irrigation in Ethiopia. To evaluate long-term operational sustainability amid volatile fossil fuel markets, local hydrologic conditions, and rural decarbonization targets, the study uses an integrated three-stage simulation architecture of the CLIMWAT database, CROPWAT, and PVsyst. To deliver the required annual irrigation water volume for a 9-month double irrigation season, we use a 9.6 PV array with a 79% performance ratio. The dynamic 20-year projection period Net Present Cost (NPC) analysis indicates that the SWP system stands at $80,065, securing a net lifetime savings of a 38% reduction in cost compared to DWP. Financial feasibility metrics confirm SWP’s strong investment returns, effectively yielding an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 16%. From a 20-year environmental lifecycle perspective, the SWP system eliminates 9.90 t CO ₂ per year, but its upstream embedded manufacturing debt is 9,144.10 kg CO ₂ -e, which secures a net lifetime climate mitigation of a 95% footprint reduction. These empirical findings confirm that SWP systems offer a technically reliable, financially advantageous, and environmentally resilient framework for enhancing energy-water-food security and climate adaptation across Ethiopia.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -