The Valle del Zújar Irrigation Community, in Badajoz, has launched the most advanced irrigation system in Spain. With a 1.3 MW photovoltaic plant, it operates without connection to the electrical grid. The 292 farmers control the irrigation of 1,130 hectares of olive, almond, and pistachio groves from a mobile app, while water is stored in reservoirs of 2.1 hm³. A technological leap in an area with water stress. 🌱
Total autonomy: pumps, panels, and an app ⚡
The installation combines 2,700 solar panels with a pumping system that lifts water from the Orellana canal to the reservoirs. Irrigation is programmed from the mobile phone, adjusting flow rates and schedules per crop. The plant operates on an island, without relying on the grid, avoiding outages and electricity costs. Sensors measure humidity and flow in real time, optimizing every drop. A replicable model for other basins with supply issues.
Goodbye to the tractor, hello to the digital thumb 📱
Farmers no longer need to get up early to open gates or argue with the neighbor over irrigation turns. Now they argue about who has better 5G coverage in the olive grove. The system allows watering from bed, as long as you don't forget your mobile at home. Because, let's be honest, the next pistachio harvest will depend more on the phone battery than on the reservoir level.