Comprehensive Water & Energy Security Analysis for the Irrigation Sector in Ukraine

Project Overview:

Type: Analysis

Year: 2023

Location: Ukraine

Client: World Bank

Objective: To assess the current water and energy security situation in the irrigation sector of Ukraine and provide recommendations for improvement.

3. Methodology:

• Analysis of data on irrigation, water supply, and energy consumption in the agricultural sector of Ukraine.
• Satellite remote sensing and water balance modeling
• Modeling of different scenarios to assess the potential impact of different strategies.
• Consultations with experts and stakeholders.

4. Findings:

• Low irrigation rate: only 1.3% of agricultural land was irrigated on average between 2017-2021.
• Dominance of rainfed agriculture: 98.7% of agricultural land.
• Low efficiency of large-scale irrigation systems: high energy consumption, costs, and CO₂ emissions from lift irrigation.
• Recommendations for improving irrigation systems: increased efficiency, reduced energy consumption, reduced CO₂ emissions.

5. Achievements:

• Increased awareness of water and energy security issues in the irrigation sector of Ukraine.
• Developed evidence-based recommendations for improving the irrigation system.
• Potential for improved irrigation system: increased efficiency, reduced energy consumption, reduced CO₂ emissions.

Climate Resilient Integrated Water Resources Management in the Zarafshan River Basin

Type: Water Resources Management

Location: Zarafshan River Basin, Uzbekistan (cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Navoi, and Karshi)

Year: 2023 – ongoing

3. Challenge:

• Unsustainable water use in the agricultural sector exceeds the basin’s water availability.
• High water demand due to the extensive irrigated agricultural land area (1.1 million hectares).
• Significant water loss through reservoir evaporation (30% per irrigation season of total storage capacity).
• Strong population growth in the basin

4. Solutions Explored:

• Using satellite-based remote sensing to effectively improve the understanding of key water balance components.
• Implementing water-saving irrigation practices and modernizing irrigation infrastructure to reduce water losses to improve water use efficiency in agriculture.
• Exploring alternative water resources, such as treated wastewater.

5. Project Impact:

• The project contributes to ongoing efforts towards sustainable water management in the Zarafshan River Basin.

6. Additional Information:

• The project focuses on the Uzbek part of the Zarafshan River Basin.
• The total storage capacity of reservoirs in the region is estimated at 2.6 billion cubic meters.

HYDRO4U – Sustainable Small-Scale Hydropower in Central Asia

Type: Innovation Action Initiative

Funder: European Union’s Horizon 2020 scheme

Location: Central Asia

3. Objective:

• Advance and refine sustainable, practical technologies, strategies, and evaluation tools for small-scale hydropower in Central Asia.
• Address the typical challenges associated with hydropower development in the region, encompassing technical, ecological, economic, and social dimensions.
• Contribute to a long-lasting positive impact on Central Asia by implementing sustainable small-scale hydropower solutions.

4. Project Scope:

• Adaptation of European technologies to the Central Asian context.
• Demonstration of project viability through the installation and assessment of two small-scale hydropower plants:
  • • A low-head, eco-friendly run-of-river shaft plant with up to 500 kW capacity.
    • A medium-head plant with approximately 2 MW capacity.
• Both plants aim to achieve reduced planning and construction costs without compromising on efficiency and sustainability.

5. Project Impact (expected):

• Increased access to clean and reliable hydropower energy in Central Asia.
• Reduced dependence on fossil fuels and associated environmental impacts.
• Contribution to regional economic development and job creation.
• Fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration between European and Central Asian stakeholders in the renewable energy sector.