Agribusiness
When a farmer assembles a solar system himself instead of buying a ready-made kit, the goal isn’t luxury, it’s survival in the countryside. In Jaíba, in the North of Minas Gerais, a rural producer decided to rely on his own knowledge and courage to assemble, piece by piece, a photovoltaic system capable of pumping water from a deep artesian well, irrigating 3 hectares, and still powering a fan, washing machine, and blender in his house during the day.
The decision came after a shocking electricity bill. The utility bill exceeded one thousand reais, nearly ruining the farm’s budget and triggering the move. Instead of returning to the city and working as an employee again, he chose to sell some cows, raise the money, buy a pump, inverter, used panels, and assemble the project himself on a 5-hectare farm that sustains his family from sunrise to sunset.
The starting point was clear. SEMIG’s bill was too high and, as the producer himself explains, “There’s no complaining about the electricity bill; if you use it, you have to pay.”.
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That’s when he decided he needed to find a way to stay on the farm, maintain irrigation for the crops and cattle paddocks, and at the same time, reduce the fixed cost of electricity.
Instead of hiring a company to deliver everything ready-made, the farmer assembles the solar system himself from scratch.
He did the research himself, chose the parts, and finalized the purchase of the pump, inverter, wiring, and panels. It wasn’t an off-the-shelf photovoltaic kit, but a system designed for the specific needs of the property: a deep well, high flow rate, and the need for constant irrigation.
The main investment was concentrated in two items. The 5-horsepower three-phase submersible pump and the inverter cost approximately R$ 9.500., purchased from a company in the region.
The panels, purchased used, cost R$ 450 each. Considering the 10 panels that actually power the system, the total was R$ 4.500. Adding the pump, inverter, and modules, The project cost approximately R$ 14., value made possible through the sale of cattle and a lot of planning.
Before discussing the panels, the producer is keen to show the foundation of everything: the artesian well. Drilling approximately 95 meters deep, with a water vein found at 87 meters and a flow rate of approximately 40 liters per hour.
This water ensures the irrigation of crops and pastures, making the solar system an investment that pays for itself in productivity.
The well has a dry section of about 20 meters, as he explains, but the rest of the column is filled with water, which allows for safe pumping during long periods of irrigation.
To accommodate this structure, the old single-phase pump was replaced with a more powerful three-phase pump, with 5 horsepower, capable of delivering a flow rate of around 17 liters per hour.
The farmer assembles the solar system himself, considering the combination of pump, inverter, and panels., adjusting the system to power the pump directly with energy generated by the sun.
No technological frills, just what’s necessary to get the water from the well and transport it to the fields at the lowest possible cost.
At the top, on simple structures, are the photovoltaic panels. There are 12 modules of 400 watts each, arranged in two strings, six on each side.
However, because of the inverter’s capacity, He opted to use only 10 boards in the main system., enough to safely operate the 5-horsepower pump.
Two panels were left over and were deactivated. Instead of leaving them aside, the farmer donated these modules to a neighbor, who also intends to set up his own system.
It’s yet another reflection of the logic of those who live off the land: When a farmer assembles a solar system on their own, they learn, test, and end up helping other producers follow the same path.
The system was designed in an off-grid format directly connected to the pump. This means that The energy generated by the panels goes to the inverter and, from the inverter, goes directly to the pump.This involves injecting energy into the utility grid and not using storage batteries. The focus is on reducing irrigation costs, which were the biggest culprit in high electricity bills.
With 10 solar panels and a 5-horsepower pump, the farmer is able to irrigate approximately 3 hectares on his property. The well water supplies crops and livestock paddocks, maintaining production even during periods of low rainfall.
Solar energy has become the primary source for this pumping, relieving the use of the traditional electricity grid.
The results showed up in the account. What used to be around a thousand reais now falls, in most months, to values close to the minimum rate, or slightly above that.
In months with higher nighttime usage, when he chooses to irrigate at night connected to the mains, the charge goes up a little, reaching just over one hundred reais.
Even so, He estimates that the utility company’s energy consumption has fallen by about 90 percent. compared to the period before the solar system.
In practice, this means more breathing room to maintain the farm, buy supplies, care for the livestock, and invest in improvements without depending so much on the money that previously went almost entirely to the electricity bill.
One of the most interesting aspects of the project is the use of the same energy generated for the pump also inside the house.
The farmer assembles a solar system on his own with his own idea: to draw part of the three-phase power that feeds the pump and bring it to his residence., which is located about 50 meters from the set of signs.
With the help of a technician, he installed circuit breakers to divert two phases of the power supply and send energy to the house during the day, while the system is in operation.
There, a voltage controller converts it to 110 volts, the standard for the family’s equipment.
Thus, Fans, washing machines, blenders, and other appliances run on the energy already being used for irrigation.No batteries and no fuel injection into the grid.
It’s a simple but clever arrangement that takes advantage of periods of strong sunlight to minimize the utility company’s energy consumption during the day.
The producer himself defines the system as a medium-sized project. It’s not a small system with just a few panels to pump water to a cattle trough, but it’s also not a large grid-connected solar park.
It’s a middle ground designed for those who need to irrigate a significant area while also wanting to reduce their dependence on energy from the utility company.
For smaller properties, he explains that it would be possible to assemble an even more compact system. For water used at home or for small animals, a half-horsepower or one-horsepower pump, powered by four plates, could solve the problem.provided it is sized correctly.
The message is that there is a path for different scales, as long as the water and energy needs of each site are well understood.
By sharing the step-by-step process, the producer makes it clear that it’s not company advertising, but life experience. He shows the well, the pump, the panels, the inverter, the electrical control panel, and the wiring path to the house.
It explains what went well, what made the project more expensive, how the pump was replaced, the purchase of used circuit boards, and the decision to assemble everything without relying on a ready-made kit from the internet.
Basically, The story of a farmer who builds a solar system on his own is also the story of someone who refuses to give up life in the countryside., even in the face of high bills and a difficult economic climate.
He prefers to study, seek technical assistance when needed, sell some cows, and invest in independence, rather than abandon the farm and return to the city as an employee.
In the end, the tone is one of invitation. He emphasizes that the channel and the project exist to help other farmers who want to implement the same type of system, who have land, water, and the desire to reduce costs, but haven’t yet taken the first step.
In rural areas, cheaper energy means a greater chance of remaining on the land and living off what the land produces.
So, do you think a project where a farmer installs a solar system on their own is worth the effort and investment, or are you still hesitant to invest in this type of solution for your property or home?
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