Use of Mobile Photothermic Installation on Application of Drip Irrigation Technology in Orchards of Mountain and Foothill Areas of Uzbekistan

Due to climate change, providing the population with clean drinking water, increasing the productivity of agricultural products in terms of quality and quantity, and the timely supply of necessary water to crops has become one of the main problems in the world. The water shortage in the Republic of Uzbekistan is increasing year by year. With the increase in the population of the republic, the need for water and energy resources has increased significantly. The main goal of this scientific research is to use water and energy-saving technologies in fruit orchards growing in the mountain and foothill areas of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Namangan, Surkhandarya, and Khorezm regions), where water resources and electricity are scarce. The methodology used for the research is comprehensive in nature, using both analytical and experimental research methods. In evaluating and comparing the efficiency of the proposed technical solution, comparison with traditional methods and methods of absolute and comparative economic efficiency of capital investments are used. The obtained results showed drip irrigation of fruit orchards 8–10 times alongside pumping units with a capacity of N = 4.0 kW (8 PTBs of 500 W each) provided enough water for cultivation; the power utilization ratio increased by 30–40% compared to stationary systems; the water savings in fruit orchards compared to traditional irrigation was 67.4 percent (Republic of Karakalpakstan)—76.1 percent (Bukhara region) (for the whole republic—60–70 percent). The use of such combined devices based on drip irrigation systems, mobile solar energy installation and automation system saves significant amounts of water and energy resources and increases the reliability of irrigation.