Photovoltaic water pumping in developing areas — A case study

Abstract

Provision of adequate water supplies is probably the most keenly felt need in rural developing areas. Much time which is at present used in collecting water could be used far more productively if water was pumped where this was appropriate. However, many pumping systems are inappropriate for developing areas because of their high maintenance requirements and complexity. Photovoltaic (solar‐electric) pumping provides an attractive alternative: in addition to having low maintenance requirements, it is convenient and environmentally sound. However, tt has two major disadvantages: (i) it has a high initial cost; and (ii) it is an inherently high risk option as expensive equipment is necessarily placed in the open with little natural protection. This paper is based on a case study of a photovoltaic water pump installed in a community vegetable garden in KwaZulu. The study examined the effect of the pump on the garden's productivity, the economic competitiveness of PV pumping with dlesel and electric pumps, the suitability of PV pumping to the community, the attitudes of the gardeners to PV pumping and possible methods of financing PV pumps for disadvantaged communities.

Notes

Masters student and Head respectively of Energy for Development Research Centre. University of Cape Town. The authors would like to thank Bill Cowan for his extensive and useful comments. The funding of the DBSA for the PV pump is gratefully acknowledged.