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Water Accessibility for All.
martin liu • June 20, 2021
By 2050, the world’s population is projected to grow by two billion people, from 7.8 billion to 9.9 billion people. This growth rate will require us to expand the use of inexhaustible sustainable energy sources to help everyone access to water and food. World Bank reports that 80 per cent of the world’s poor would benefit from improved agriculture because it can reduce poverty and improve food security — solar-powered water pumps provide a solution. Healing Waters offers other life-saving water filtration solutions including ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis within their water projects.
Essentially, solar-powered water pumps work by converting the sun’s rays (photons) to electricity that will operate the water pump. It uses solar panels to collect the photons (units of light) from sunlight, producing the direct current (DC) that provides the energy for the motor to pump water out from its source. An inverter is used if the pump motor needs alternating current (AC) rather than DC. Solar-powered water pump system components include: Solar panels Also called the solar photovoltaic (PV) system, solar panels take the sun’s photons and convert them into electricity in three basic steps. Solar cells within solar panels absorb photons from the sun and convert them into DC electricity. An inverter converts DC electricity to AC (alternating current) electricity. This electricity is used to operate the water pump. Water pump motor The water pump motor takes water from any available water source, including from underground or another water source, that can be used for irrigation, household, or other purposes. Inverter Water pumps run on AC electrical current, so the inverter converts the electricity from the original DC to usable AC. Pipes Pipes will transport water from the original source to wherever it needs to go; a purification system, a holding tank, etc. Water tank The water pumping system will often include a water tank to store water that may be used when sunshine isn’t available. Pump controllers The controllers regulate the water pump and allow it to be turned on and off. They can increase the life of the water pump by protecting it from electrical irregularities or motor damage if it keeps running when a water source runs dry. Controllers also maximize water delivery.
Without solar-powered water pumps, many communities in developing countries need to rely on rainfall and inaccessible water sources. This lack of reliable water can limit harvesting to just twice each year. Approximately three billion people worldwide rely on fuelwood for domestic energy. Charcoal that’s made from fuelwood powers their water pumps. The problems with fuelwood are scarcity and women and children (the ones primarily responsible for collecting the wood) having to walk further to collect the timber required for fuelwood. Solar-powered water pumps have many benefits. They are: Economical to operate The cost of PV (photovoltaic) panels has dropped significantly, bringing down the initial set-up cost from years ago. Operating expenses are lower than other systems because the sun rather than fuel provides the energy. The long-term savings of fuel cost overshadows the initial investment needed to set up the solar-powered water pump. Eco-friendly Sunshine is renewable energy. Renewable energy comes from sources that nature will replace. Some contend that solar energy is not renewable because of greenhouse gas emitted during the solar panel manufacturing process. While that does happen, there is no emission of toxins after that during solar energy production. For that reason, solar-powered water pumps are considered clean energy sources. Useful in remote areas Since the sun provides the energy, an external power source isn’t necessary, which means a solar-powered water pump will work in remote places and areas without access to a power grid. Easy to maintain Solar-powered water pumps have very few mechanical parts, which lessens the chances of components needing repairs. They can last for many years without requiring maintenance. Easy to install Engineers aren’t required to assemble or install solar-powered water pumps. They have few components and can be installed easily by local people. Increasing productivity Water collection is gruelling for those in developing countries. It can require walking for several hours in each direction. Solar-powered water pumps save time by not having to collect water, improve health, and make time for other productive activities. Reliable Solar-powered water pumps provide a reliable water source because it doesn’t require electricity.
