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SOLAR ENERGY & WIND POWER

Solar Water Pumping

There are more than 10,000 solar powered water pumps in use in the world today. They are widely used on farms and outback stations in Australia to supply water to livestock. In developing countries they are used extensively to pump water from wells and rivers to villages for domestic consumption and irrigation of crops. A typical PV-powered pumping system consists of a PV array that powers an electric motor, which drives a pump. The water is often pumped from the ground or stream into a storage tank that provides a gravity feed. No energy storage is needed for these systems. PV powered pumping systems are a cost-effective alternative to agricultural wind turbines for remote area water supply.

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Benefits

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are used to pump water for livestock, plants or humans. Since the need for water is greatest on hot sunny days the technology is an obvious choice for this application. Pumping water using PV technology is simple, reliable, and requires almost no maintenance. Agricultural watering needs are usually greatest during sunnier periods when more water can be pumped with a solar system. PV powered pumping systems are excellent for small to medium scale pumping and there are thousands of agricultural PV water pumping systems in the field today throughout the world.

PV powered water pumping systems are similar to any other pumping system, only the power source is solar energy. PV pumping systems have, as a minimum, a PV array, a motor, and a pump. PV water pumping arrays are fixed mounted or sometimes placed on passive trackers (which use no motors) to increase pumping time and volume. AC and DC motors with centrifugal or displacement pumps are used with PV pumping systems. The most inexpensive PV pumps cost less than $1,500, while the large systems can run to over $20,000. Most PV water pumps rarely exceed 2 horsepower in size. Well installed quality PV water pumping systems can provide over 20 years of reliable and continuous service.

For more information, please design a solar water pumping system using the Energy Matters on-line global system builder, or contact one of our solar pumping specialists.