Evaluation of agriculture wells electrification policy and development of a long-term sustainable energy strategy

Abstract

The electrification of agriculture wells in the developing countries is considered as one of the major solutions for increasing energy efficiency and utilization of renewables to achieve sustainable and smart agriculture sector. This study aims to re-evaluate the plan for the electrification of agricultural wells in Iran as a case study in the framework of an environmental energy analysis model and under possible scenarios to achieve sustainable policy-making until 2041. To evaluate the cost-benefits of electrification of agricultural wells, an economic bottom-up end-use analysis model was developed using LEAP. In this study, a methodology was developed to analyze different solutions for energy demand of groundwater well subsector of agriculture sector. The superior scenario, called energy efficiency package, was introduced. To amend the government's policy on the electrification of agricultural wells, and by integrating the strategies of electrification and intelligent measurements and monitoring of wells, this research, suggested a sustainable solution on the use of solar and wind energy in the form of energy efficiency package. This solution could save 8.19 million barrels of crude oil equivalent and reduce 5.24 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2041 at a cost of −369.3 dollars per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent.