Integrated Solar-Powered Irrigation System (ISIS)

Abstract

Hydroponic farming has become one of the solutions for urban food security, as it enables agricultural production on limited land with more efficient water use. However, most hydroponic systems still rely on conventional electricity to operate circulation pumps, sensors, and control devices, thereby increasing energy consumption and operational costs. Furthermore, the utilization of solar energy in hydroponics is generally limited to powering pumps, without considering the balance between the energy generated, stored, and consumed by the system. This research proposes ISIS (Integrated Solar-Powered Irrigation System) as a smart hydroponic innovation that integrates solar power generation, energy storage, and an adaptive control system within a single platform. The system employs a PV–MPPT–battery–DC load configuration combined with the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic method. Voltage, current, light intensity, water level, pH, and TDS/EC sensors are used to monitor energy conditions and plant nutrition in real time. Sensor data are then processed by the control system to regulate pump operation based on energy availability and hydroponic operational needs, thereby enabling automatic optimization of energy consumption. The main advantages of ISIS over conventional hydroponic systems lie in its adaptive energy management capability, the use of DC loads that reduce energy conversion losses, and battery integration that maintains operational continuity when solar intensity declines. This innovation has the potential to improve the efficiency of solar energy utilization, reduce dependence on the electricity grid, and support the development of more self-sufficient, economical, and environmentally friendly urban agriculture at both household and commercial scales.