Irrigation System ROI Calculator

Calculate the Return on Investment associated with a new or upgraded irrigation system.

Project Inputs

Enter your project parameters. Capital cost is derived from a rate per hectare for the selected system type, and a management factor adjusts the achievable yield. Power and maintenance costs are expressed as net present values over the analysis period. Defaults reflect typical Southern African conditions.

Currency

System & Agronomy

Financial Parameters

Lifecycle Cost Optimised System

Headline economics of a professionally engineered system, sized for lowest lifecycle cost.

Annual Income Uplift
additional revenue / yr
Capital Cost
CAPEX to install
Approximate Design Cost
5% of capital cost
Power Cost / yr
pumping energy (year 1)
Payback Period
net cashflow ≥ 0

Power consumed assumes typical efficiencies of 75% (Pump), 95% (Variable Speed Drive) and 75% (Motor). Repairs & maintenance is estimated at 2% of capital cost per year. Design cost is an approximate allowance only (actual professional fees are confirmed in a formal proposal) and is included in the total CAPEX carried into the ROI calculation.

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Unlock the Full ROI Analysis

See the year-by-year return, 5/10/20-year ROI, and how a lifecycle-cost optimised system compares to a non-optimized scenario over the project's design life.

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Return on Investment

Cumulative net present value over 20 years, with power costs escalated and all future cashflows discounted to present value. The optimised system is sized for lowest lifecycle cost (the non-optimized scenario carries 50% higher power and maintenance cost, 20% lower capital cost, and 5% lower yield).

5-Year ROI
optimised system
10-Year ROI
optimised system
20-Year ROI
optimised system
Power Use
kWh / year
Cumulative Net Present Value Over 20 Years
Lifecycle Optimised System
Non-Optimized Scenario

Assumptions & Notes

  • As operational lifetime increases, Operating Cost (OPEX) forms an increasing proportion of the total lifecycle cost.
  • Capital cost is derived from an indicative rate per hectare for the selected system type, based on typical Southern African conditions, and is for high-level planning only (not a formal design or quotation).
  • Power consumption is calculated from the irrigation demand, system efficiency, pump head and application rate, using typical pump, VSD and motor efficiencies.
  • A management factor specific to each system type is applied to the target yield to reflect achievable performance.
  • Total CAPEX carried into the ROI calculation is System CAPEX plus the approximate design cost (5% of System CAPEX).
  • The non-optimized scenario assumes 50% higher power and maintenance cost, 20% lower capital cost, and 5% lower yield than a lifecycle-optimised system.
  • Repayments are calculated on the loan interest rate and term entered, and cease once the loan is repaid.

Ready to design a system that pays for itself?

Ant Consult provides professionally engineered irrigation and water systems design across Africa and the Middle East.