Hybrid renewable energy systems solutions for increased farm resilience
- Innovation, knowledge exchange & EIP-AGRI
- Agricultural Productivity
- Climate and Climate Change
- Sustainability
Interreg Atlantic Area project builds sustainable agriculture through renewable energy.
HY4RES (Hybrid Solutions For Renewable Energy Systems) is an Interreg Atlantic Area project focused on developing and demonstrating hybrid renewable energy systems that combine wind, solar, hydropower, and energy storage. The project addresses the challenge of the fluctuating availability of renewable energy sources throughout the EU’s Atlantic Area. New technological and digital solutions are needed to manage these energy sources more efficiently, enhance their interoperability, and maximise their use. This project aims to provide affordable and sustainable energy solutions for agriculture, aquaculture, industry, and domestic sectors. The development of hybrid renewable energy systems, energy storage solutions, and intelligent management software will enable optimal use of sustainable energy produced on a local scale.
One of the four pilot sites, located in the Valle Inferior irrigation community, in the Guadalquivir River Basin in Andalusia, Spain, focuses on the agricultural sector. Farms in the area use regional photovoltaic energy to power the pressure pumps that transport water to hydrants; however, these pumps require large amounts of energy, leading to high costs and the use of fossil energy when solar power cannot cover all needs. The HY4RES pilot site is therefore implementing renewable energy systems at the level of the irrigation community of farms to complement solar energy and replace fossil fuels.
The pilot site is testing and evaluating the feasibility of a hybrid renewable energy system by incorporating various energy sources. A fish-friendly hydraulic micro-turbine is being installed in an irrigation pond to power irrigation pumps. Energy storage solutions, as well as intelligent management software using Big Data and AI to predict energy production and consumption, are also part of the tests, which enable the farmers to optimise energy use, throughout the day.
The pilot site not only reduces costs for the farmers, but also contributes to the advancement of the agricultural sector, creating a more sustainable and resilient agricultural system.