Wind power application for low flow irrigation from the Edwards-Trinity aquifer of West Texas

Abstract

Attempts were made to reduce the cost of energy for irrigation in West Texas. To do this two wind turbines of 10 kW size were installed in Garden City and Stiles, Texas to pump water. The turbines were installed on 30 m towers. The pumping water head at Garden City and Stiles were 48 m and 80 m, respectively.A double Fourier series analysis of wind speed characteristics was done to better predict wind speed for the test areas and the use of a N=3 and M=7 harmonic term was suggested for this region. A relationship of flow pumped from a wind powered pumping system was developed to better predict flow rate based on available wind speed and pumping water depth data.The economic analysis of this system showed that if the local utility sold power at rate of $0.09kWh then a wind powered pumping system can be economically feasible if the cost of a 10 kW wind turbine was less than $5000 payable over 30 years at 5% interest rate. The current cost of such a system is $30,000, making it prohibitively expensive. However, such a system may become a more economical alternative as the cost of electricity increases and the cost of the turbines decrease.