(Archive) Solar Hydroponic Fodder Unit _ Team 2020-12

Summary of our design

We have designed a community level solar powered hydroponic fodder unit for off-grid regions. This low-cost automated unit has been designed to help boost livestock productivity and enhance incomes for smallholder farmers. The design uses the hydroponic method to grow green fodder in a short period of eight days, which resulting in an almost six-fold mass increase during the same period. This method is soilless, requires up to 95% less water than conventional fodder production, and reduces stress on small land holdings given its vertical scalability.

The design includes an Arduino based micro-controller, which regulates the watering cycle through nozzles. In addition, temperature control within the unit is achieved through evaporative cooling, and green shade nets act as effective insulation material. A closed loop water circulation system ensures zero waste, and rainwater harvesting structures aim to minimise water inputs. Sensor based cooling ensures energy efficiency through the proper selection of set-points.

After multiple rounds of prototyping, we arrived at a low-cost solution that uses locally accessible recycled materials.

Our experience designing and building the prototype

Prototyping was the most illuminating part of the journey for me. Although as an engineer, I have often committed designs to paper and simulation, this opportunity enabled me to create and design a prototype myself. It was a steep learning curve, from designing control system electronics, shopping for electrical and mechanical parts amid a pandemic, and setting up solar panels to optimising the power condition unit and validating the design through climate simulations. This very intensive learning process gave us greater confidence regarding our design and its reliability.

Our design works to address the following SDGs

- SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): By leveraging our commitment to achieve7.1 (Access to Affordable Energy) and 7.3 (Energy Efficiency), we simultaneously address nine other SDGs.

- SDG 1 (Zero Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) are at the heart of the design.

- SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) guide our social model of employment, which aims to rehabilitate marginalised populations. The model of local entrepreneurship and enhanced revenues from livestock products helps to address.

- SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).

- SDG 13 (Climate Action): Our commitment to this is realised through the GHG mitigation potential of hydroponic fodder in comparison to traditional processes. This sustainable route of fodder production further addresses issues under SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).