Solar water pumping in Nepal

Dublin Energy Lab

Fintan McLoughlin

Overview scholarship programme

DIT FoundationAwarded 3 month scholarship

Renewable WorldBased in Kathmandu, Nepal

RE ProjectsSolar, Wind, Biogas, Hydro

Three main challenges…

Poverty60% households live on < $2 a day

EnvironmentOnly adequate rainfall for 3

months a year

InfrastructureOnly 40% have access to electricity

So why solar pumping ???

MethodsManual, treadle, gravity fed, electricity, liquid fuels, renewable

CostsUpfront capital, operating

OtherLabour intensive, site specific, reliable supply to electricity

Factors

Solar water pumping

House

Water pump

Community storage tank

Water tap stand

Source storage tank

Transmission pipe

Distribution pipe

Low voltage electricity cable

Control drive

Solar panels (3.5 – 4.5kW)

and how does it work?

Solar PV & control driveConverts DC to AC electricity to pump

Autonomous systemControlled via radiation sensor

Variable frequencyDrive maintains continuous operation in low solar radiation conditions

Solar pumping locations

Predicted water demand

No. of householdsEach household allocated 45 litres/person per day

Community sizeEach village anticipated to grow annually 1.73% over 20 year period

OtherAdditional allocation of water made if school nearby, increased poverty or extreme local environment

Estimated water demand

Instantaneous measurementPumped water flow rate measured three times under similar conditions and average taken (bucket and stick approach)

Parameters recordedSolar irradiance (Watt/m2), temperature, VOC, ISC, etc

Estimated operationSystem assumed to operate 6.5 hours per day and comparison made between locations (based on lowest solar irradiance region)

Performance by location…

*

*based on Sunco Systems (SENEPAL) software

Kavre Sirubari Lamdanda Gulmi Kaski -

5,000.0

10,000.0

15,000.0

20,000.0

25,000.0

30,000.0

Predicted water demand Expected water supply Estimated water supply

Volu

me

of w

ater

pum

ped

(lite

rs/d

ay)

Conclusions

Alternative methodSolar pumping provides good alternative method for water collection in remote environments

Poverty reductionSupplements income, education participation, improved livelihoods

Capital costsUpfront capital costs are still high but decreasing

Questions ?

Email:fintan.mcloughlin@dit.ie

Costs

Costs

  $/Wp$/litre

pumped$/per

person

$/per metre

lift

Kavre 6.23 1.05 62.12 280.45

Sirubari 4.10 0.78 92.74 227.85Lamdand

a 3.56 0.84 36.38 313.87

Gulmi 5.44 1.31 145.65 317.78

Kaski 3.37 0.64 62.52 192.24