Techno-economic feasibility of using photovoltaic generators instead of diesel motor for water pumping
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Date
2012
Authors
Sabreen Staiti
Heba Aseedah
Yasmeen Salah
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Abstract
In rural and/or undeveloped areas where there is no power grid and more water is needed than what hand or foot pumps can deliver, the choices for powering pumps are usually solar or a fuel driven engine, usually diesel .There are very distinct differences between the two power sources in terms of cost and reliability. Diesel a very high operation and maintenance cost. Solar is the opposite, with a higher first cost but very low on going operation and maintenance costs.In terms of reliability, it is much easier (and cheaper) to keep a solar-powered system going than it is a diesel engine. This is evident in field where diesel engines lie rusting and unused by the thousands and solar pumps sometimes run for year without anyone touching themThe first cost of solar is often daunting to donors and project implementers who are tempted to stretch their budgets as far as possible to reach the greatest number of beneficiaries by using a low first-cost option. But most would probably agree that quantity over quality is not a good value if the higher quantity option is not likely to be giving good service five years down the road and if beneficiaries are going to be stuck with interventions they cannot afford to sustain over time.Solar pumping has had clear advantages for a number of years but the differences are becoming more striking in a world of rapidly escalating fuel costs. Not only will some of the worlds poorest people not be able to afford fuel for their pumps, but living at the end of remote supply chains, they may not even be able to get it in the first place as world demand overtakes supply.
In rural and/or undeveloped areas where there is no power grid and more water is needed than what hand or foot pumps can deliver, the choices for powering pumps are usually solar or a fuel driven engine, usually diesel .There are very distinct differences between the two power sources in terms of cost and reliability. Diesel a very high operation and maintenance cost. Solar is the opposite, with a higher first cost but very low on going operation and maintenance costs.In terms of reliability, it is much easier (and cheaper) to keep a solar-powered system going than it is a diesel engine. This is evident in field where diesel engines lie rusting and unused by the thousands and solar pumps sometimes run for year without anyone touching themThe first cost of solar is often daunting to donors and project implementers who are tempted to stretch their budgets as far as possible to reach the greatest number of beneficiaries by using a low first-cost option. But most would probably agree that quantity over quality is not a good value if the higher quantity option is not likely to be giving good service five years down the road and if beneficiaries are going to be stuck with interventions they cannot afford to sustain over time.Solar pumping has had clear advantages for a number of years but the differences are becoming more striking in a world of rapidly escalating fuel costs. Not only will some of the worlds poorest people not be able to afford fuel for their pumps, but living at the end of remote supply chains, they may not even be able to get it in the first place as world demand overtakes supply.
In rural and/or undeveloped areas where there is no power grid and more water is needed than what hand or foot pumps can deliver, the choices for powering pumps are usually solar or a fuel driven engine, usually diesel .There are very distinct differences between the two power sources in terms of cost and reliability. Diesel a very high operation and maintenance cost. Solar is the opposite, with a higher first cost but very low on going operation and maintenance costs.In terms of reliability, it is much easier (and cheaper) to keep a solar-powered system going than it is a diesel engine. This is evident in field where diesel engines lie rusting and unused by the thousands and solar pumps sometimes run for year without anyone touching themThe first cost of solar is often daunting to donors and project implementers who are tempted to stretch their budgets as far as possible to reach the greatest number of beneficiaries by using a low first-cost option. But most would probably agree that quantity over quality is not a good value if the higher quantity option is not likely to be giving good service five years down the road and if beneficiaries are going to be stuck with interventions they cannot afford to sustain over time.Solar pumping has had clear advantages for a number of years but the differences are becoming more striking in a world of rapidly escalating fuel costs. Not only will some of the worlds poorest people not be able to afford fuel for their pumps, but living at the end of remote supply chains, they may not even be able to get it in the first place as world demand overtakes supply.