Modelling and Performance Assessment of a Standalone Solar Water Pumping System for Agricultural Applications

This paper investigates the performance of an advanced standalone solar water pumping sys- tem (SSWPS) model intended for off-grid agricultural applications. The model comprises a photovoltaic (PV) array, an Incremental Conductance (INC)-based Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controller, a high-gain LUO DC-DC converter, and a three-phase Brush- less Direct Current (BLDC) motor directly coupled to a centrifugal pump. With the primary objective for an optimal energy harvesting and reliable water pumping under fluctuating so- lar irradiance, an MPPT algorithm dynamically modulates the duty cycle of the proposed LUO converter. Simulation tests at varying duty cycles of the converter represent the full range of operational irradiance conditions to indicate the effective voltage regulation across varying inputs to maintain a stable output even when the input voltage drops significantly. The system achieves a maximum efficiency of 94.78% on a duty cycle of 0.75, where the con- verter’s superlift capability drives the motor at a stable 2065 rpm and 5.0 Nm with minimal current ripple. Furthermore, the economic assessment of the system reveals a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of 0.351/kWh. From an environmental perspective, the analysis high- lights substantial annual carbon savings of 1,611 kg of CO2, and a carbon payback period of 1.6 years. A comparative analysis with alternative work justifies the efficacy of the proposed model design. This integrated methodology, which combines detailed performance modeling with key economic and environmental metrics, offers a holistic framework for designing and implementing renewable energy water pumping solutions.