Feasibility analysis of solar and wind energy-powered irrigation pumping systems using reanalysis data–A case of Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala, southwest region of India.

This article assesses the technical and economic feasibility of solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy systems for irrigation at three geographically distinct sites—lowland (A), midland (B), and highland (C)—in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Using solar and wind data from the National Solar Radiation Database and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2), the study finds that site B has the highest solar potential, sufficient to pump 3921.24 kL of water annually with a 10-year simple payback time (SPT) reduced to 7.1 years under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme's financial assistance. Site C shows the greatest wind potential but with a longer SPT of 13.1 years, making wind systems economically viable only if combined with solar PV in a hybrid system. Sites A and B are less suitable for wind energy due to low wind potential and unfavorable payback periods. The study emphasizes the role of government subsidies in improving economic feasibility and highlights the potential carbon emission reductions and water savings from adopting renewable energy-powered micro-irrigation systems.