Study of the integration of renewable energies in the field of agriculture and food production

Abstract

This thesis explores how renewable energy can be used to modernize agriculture and food production. We highlighted the most important techniques for integrating renewable energy in this field and reviewed Algeria’s potential in various renewable energy sources. We also examined key studies that addressed this topic, as well as major international programs and projects that applied renewable energy integration techniques in agriculture and food production, showcasing the benefits of these technologies such as solar irrigation, drying systems, cold storage, and biogas. We then moved on to study the main national programs and projects in this field, which were mostly limited to personal farmer initiatives and support projects in desert regions, in addition to a number of experiments conducted by the Renewable Energy Development Center. To demonstrate the economic and technical feasibility of using clean energy sources in this sector, we conducted a case study on the Zergoun farm in the Wilaya of Ouargla. We compared powering the farm through the national grid versus using solar panels, relying on the HOMER software for simulation. We concluded that these technologies reduce energy costs, improve efficiency, and support environmental sustainability. Despite Algeria’s high renewable energy potential, the study found that its use in agriculture remains limited due to several factors. Nevertheless, Algeria has the capacity to achieve a sustainable agricultural future by adopting proven international models, supporting farmers with incentives and training, and expanding the scope of national programs such as the Renewable Energy Development Center and the Water Resources Development Program .