Optimal real time scheduling of irrigation and power generation for a multi-center pivot irrigation system

An irrigation-scheduling algorithm is developed using dynamic programming successive approximation (DPSA) to minimize the energy cost over a certain period while maintaining optimum crop production. A 3350-hectare farm, which includes over 20 center pivots and depends on groundwater, was chosen as a case study. The outcomes of this research indicate that fuel cost can be reduced by 35 to 40% by using the optimal scheduling algorithm. The algorithm can be used in the design stage, crop allocation stage and operation stage to come up with necessary generation capacity of the system, best crop allocation and the daily operation schedules.