Elements and
Basics of Solar Pumping (JR118)
Introduction
Solar
water pumps are a cost-effective and dependable method for providing water in
situations where water resources are spread over long distances; power lines
are few or non-existent; or fuel and maintenance costs are considerable. The system
operates on power generated using solar PV (photovoltaic) system. The
photovoltaic array converts the solar energy into electricity, which is used
for running the motor pump set. The pumping system draws water from the open
well, bore well, stream, pond, canal etc. The system requires a shadow-free
area for installation of the Solar panel.. Over last seven years, the
technology and price of solar pumping have evolved dramatically - and hence the
opportunities it presents. SWP system capacity and ability have expanded.
Range
Solar pumps had limited performance and
were restricted to pumping installations with a shallow water source and a low
water demand. Today, pumps can reach deeper wells (500 meters (m), compared to
the previous 200 m) and push larger volumes of water (1,500 m3/day, compared to
the previous 500 m3/day at low head). Efficiencies have also increased
considerably. New pump and motor designs have increased water outputs over the
entire pump range Solar pumps are specifically
designed to accept DC power directly from the solar modules and are optimized
for operating under less-than-ideal sun conditions. Where conventional
AC-powered pumps require a stable voltage and frequency to operate, solar pumps
can operate over a wide range of voltage and available current.
Prices
Prices of photovoltaic (PV) panels have
dropped exponentially. High demand for PV modules for grid- tied applications
has resulted in massive economies of scale in production as well as competition
among vendors. The commodity price of silicon, the key material, has also
dropped substantially. Solar modules once cost around $5/Wp (watt-peak); now,
they are less than $0.75/Wp (ex-factory). These reductions have made larger SWP
systems possible where previously the capital cost priced them out of range. A
system with 1800 watt PV array capacity and 2 HP pump can give a water discharge of 1.4
lakh liters per day from a depth of 6 to 7 meters. This quantity of water is
considered adequate for irrigating about 5-8 acres of land holding for several
crops. (CAUTION: Solar prices are rapidly falling and process quoted here may
well not be valid by the time you read this
Approximate Cost
|
Capacity of SPV system
|
Total Head (Suction & delivery) in m
|
Solar PV (watt)
|
Cost (Rs)
|
|
2 HP (surface pump)
|
10
|
1800
|
2,90,000
|
|
4.6 HP (submersible pump)
|
30
|
4800
|
7,15,000
|
Market
Conditions
The number of SWP manufacturers and
suppliers has increased. Old monopolies have been broken, and although the technology
leaders continue to innovate, competition is fierce on price, performance, and
quality. SWP is cost-competitive with diesel and wind pumps in all size ranges.
News
SWP is being mainstreamed and awareness is
growing. Good news travels fast, and markets are already demanding SWP in place
of conventional pumping solutions. Further opportunities are arising as
intensive awareness campaigns support and elaborate on the details of system
performance and savings. Retrofits to diesel pump systems represent a market
for further potential savings
Solar pumping current applications
The highest demand is within rural off-grid
areas, currently underserved, or served by costly fossil fuel-driven pumps. The
potential applications include: Potable water supply for institutions
(traditional niche market for schools and health clinics); Community-scale
water supply schemes (larger village schemes); Livestock water supply
(individual or communal); and Small-scale irrigation (individual farmers or
cooperatives)
Regions
Solar pumping is most competitive in
regions with high solar isolation, which include most of Africa, South America,
South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Although these regions all have high radiation the
availability and depth of water resources vary significantly. Solar
availability maps and data for Pakistan have been developed ,one is presented
as follows:
Advantages of solar pumping
·
No fuel cost - as it uses available
free sun light
·
No electricity required
·
Long operating life
·
Highly reliable and durable
·
Easy to operate and maintain
·
Eco-friendly
SWP systems consume little to no fuel. By using freely
available sunlight, they avoid the constraints of weak or expensive rural fuel
supply networks.
Unlike diesel-based systems (i.e., where a diesel generator
powers the pump), solar pumping produces clean energy with zero or much reduced
exhaust gases and pollutants.
Solar pumping systems are durable and reliable. PV
panels have a design life of over 20 years, and solar pumps have few moving
parts and require little maintenance (unlike diesel pumps).
Solar pumping systems are modular so can be tailored to
current power needs and easily expanded by adding PV panels and accessories.
Properly installed solar systems are safe and low risk
due to low system voltage. Adequate protection minimizes fire risk.
Disadvantages
and mitigation
Solar pumping systems have high initial capital costs,
which can be discouraging. However, component prices are drop- ping
substantially and investment payback is quick thanks to vast reductions in fuel
usage
Water tank storage is preferable to batteries, but
still expensive. Hybrid solar/diesel pumping can reduce the need for storage
and hence costs.
Solar pumps still require some servicing, and
specialized technicians/providers may be difficult to access in some areas.
This is gradually improving.
Panel theft can be circumvented by sensitizing
communities and providing simple antitheft measures.
SWP can lead to excessive groundwater extraction
because operators face near zero marginal-cost of pumping ground- water.
A solar-powered water pumping system is
like any other pumping system, except its power source is solar energy. Solar
pumping technology covers the entire energy conversion process, from sunlight,
to electrical energy, to mechanical energy, to stored energy. The process is
elegant and simple.
There are several technically viable
options for new pumping systems, generally distinguished by their energy
source—diesel pump, wind, solar, etc. Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is often used
to assess the economic merits of alternative investment options.
Pumping systems typically have a 20-year
lifespan, and over that period they incur various costs, some at the outset,
and others at different times throughout the system lifetime. Consideration of
all costs incurred during the system lifetime is often referred to as a
life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA). LCCA is particularly important for renewable
energy projects because of the high initial investment costs. More conventional
options based on fossil fuels may appear cheaper due to lower initial costs;
however, operating costs can be considerable over the project life.
Although pumping systems have myriad costs
during their lifetime, a proper LCCA would assess at least four key cost
elements:
Initial costs with capital expenditures
(CAPEX); and installation/commissioning.
These mostly consist of the acquisition of equipment for the solar pump system:
PV panels, pump, control system, pipes and fittings, wiring, etc. Initial costs
also include design engineering, system installation, commissioning testing and
inspection; Operation and maintenance (O&M). Operation costs are labor and
energy costs related to a pumping system’s operation. They can vary widely
depending on the system’s complexity and duty. For example, a hazardous duty
pump may require daily checks for emissions and operational performance,
whereas an automated nonhazardous system may only require limited supervi-
sion. Security and managerial costs are also included here. Maintenance costs
comprise all costs entailed in keeping the system functional, including routine
activities (e.g., cleaning solar panels)and small repairs to faulty components.
System design can influence O&M costs through construction quality,
components used, and ease of access to spare parts.
Energy : System energy consumption is often
one of the largest cost elements in the LCC, especially if the pump runs more
than 2,000 hours per year. Solar pumping systems have lower energy supply costs
than systems based on fossil fuels, such as diesel.
Capital replacements. Some major parts of a
pumping system have a shorter design lifetime than that of the overall system
(often 20 years), requiring capital replacements along with the associated
costs. The pump, for example, often needs to be replaced after 7–10 years.
A solar pumping system consists of PV
modules, a pump set, a storage tank, electronic components, and interconnected cables.
Electronics normally include an inverter, power conditioner or pump controller,
controls/protections, and water sensors
The energy and power for driving an SWP
system comes directly from an array of solar modules of the correct size and
specification. The elementary component of a solar module is the solar
photovoltaic (PV) cell. The cell directly converts solar radiation into
electric current, through the photoelectric effect. The ratio of electric power
produced to radiation received is the solar PV cell’s efficiency. For example,
if a cell generates 0.15 kW of power for each kW received from the sun, its
efficiency is 15%. The semiconductor materials most commonly used in commercial
PV cells are crystalline silicon. These modules are either mono crystalline
silicon modules, where each PV cell has a single silicon crystal; or
polycrystalline modules, where each cell has multiple crystals. Mono-crystalline
modules are more efficient than polycrystalline ones (16–17% compared to 14–16%
in commercial applications).
PV modules are
rated according to their power output, based on a solar irradiance of 1,000
W/m2 at a specified module temperature. Panel output data includes the peak
power (maximum power generated by the panel, often referred to as watt-peak
[Wp]), voltage (volts [V]), and current (amps [A]). In addition to irradiance,
PV module temperature affects the amount of power produced, with higher
temperatures decreasing power output. It is therefore a good design practice to
ensure good ventilation of the modules to limit their temperature increase.
A challenge in many
countries has been the lack of quality regulation, leading to an influx of
cheap, substandard, and counterfeit products in the local market. Purchasers of
solar panels should thus seek quality assurance, as there are now
well-developed global standards and testing procedures for panels, notably from
the International Electro technical Commission (IEC) or similar organizations.
The main global
standard for crystalline silicon modules is IEC 61215, which, like similar
standards, is awarded largely based on tests administered to samples of modules
produced. Since modules cannot be tested throughout their 25-year life time,
accelerated stress testing is performed. One of the main tests is the verification
of the nominal peak power that a PV module can deliver under standard testing
conditions (STC), which include 1 kW/m2 of insolation perpendicular to the
panels and 25°C of PV cell temperature.
Quality of solar
modules, and matching of solar module performance is especially important in
SWP systems consisting of large arrays of modules connected in series, where
array performance, hence SWP performance, depends on the performance of the
weakest module. Even one module with inferior output can have a devastating
effect. The commissioning of a SWP system should identify such weaknesses
through I-V curve scanning of the array.
Pumps physically lift water from source to
point of use/storage. Technological progress has radically improved pump
performance over the years, with pumps now available for pumping ranges up to
500 meters deep or 150 m3/h
Water pumps are driven by electrical motors, which
convert electrical energy (produced, in the case of solar pumping, by PV
panels) into mechanical energy. Most motors typically run on either direct
current (DC), where the electrical flow does not switch direction periodically
in the wires; or alternating current (AC), where it does.
DC motors are appealing for solar pumping because PV
modules producing direct current can be directly coupled to the motor with
limited power conditioning. This makes them an economical option for systems with
low water demand and a short cable distance between the PV panel array and the
motor. For long-distance cabling, however, low-voltage DC motors are not
suitable because of power loss in the cable. DC motors are currently not
available beyond the 5 kW thresholds.
AC motors can be used in larger SWP systems, although
they require a DC/AC inverter.
Solar pumping systems use two main types of pumps:
positive displacement and centrifugal. Positive displacement pumps are further
divided into volumetric and helical rotor pumps. Broadly speaking, positive
displacement pumps are suitable for lower flow rates and medium to high pumping
heads (30–250 m), whereas centrifugal pumps are suitable for high flow rates
and lower pumping heads (10–120 m). Within positive displacement pumps, helical
rotor pumps are especially suitable for operation with low and variable solar
radiation levels, since they can pump at low speed without loss of efficiency,
unlike centrifugal pumps, which do not produce any water below a threshold
speed and are thus much less efficient at low or fluttering irradiation.
It should be noted that these are generalizations for
illustration. The most suitable pump and motor type for any situation should be
determined based on manufacturers’ catalogues and motor pump manuals, and
specifically on pump/motor pair performance curves (characterized to the IEC 62253 standard) to
ensure that the pump/motor pair can deliver the required flow against the total
dynamic head (TDH)
Power conditioners convert DC power from
the solar panels to match the pump motor’s requirements. Power conditioners can
take several formats: a simple DC-DC converter, fixed-frequency
inverter for an AC pump, or a more complex variable speed drive(VSD)in single or
three-phase AC power. In general, the power conditioner is matched to a
specific pump and optimized to suit the pump performance for array voltage and
power. Pump kits from larger pump manufacturers provide an optimized power
conditioner and motor/pump as a matched set. Such power conditioners provide
change-over between solar supply and diesel engine supply, enabling use in
hybrid systems or systems with back-up.
System integrators are increasingly
combining third-party power conditioners or programmable VSDs with other
third-party motor/pump pairs, and branding them as their own or offering them
as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) solutions. Although these solutions
may be just as efficient, they have likely been less well tested and the
performance depends entirely on the programming setup. In particular, the
performance of the controller/motor/pump under intermittent sunshine solar
conditions may be substantially lower if not properly set up. For that reason,
the testing and characterization of the entire set under the IEC 62253
standard, which can include three test conditions (clear day, cloudy day, and
intermittent sunshine), can yield valuable comparative results).
System
Design
This design process is complemented by
deeper awareness of the equipment to be used in the system
The design capacity of the solar water
system depends primarily on water demand, measured in m3/day or liters/day Water
is considered for human and/or livestock consumption or for irrigation.
Potable water for human consumption in a
village/town is estimated from population size and daily per capita water
consumption. For example, if the system is to serve a population of 2,000 and
the supply standard is 30 liters per capita per day, then system design
capacity should be at least 60,000 liters/day or 60 m3/day. Similarly, water
demand for livestock will depend on livestock type and quantity.
Irrigation water demand assessment is
considerably more complex, and depends on area, soil hydration and properties,
evaporation rates, crop selection, spacing, crop seasons, irrigation type,
etc., and is best determined by an agronomist, to avoid over- or
under-estimating water needs, and to determine optimal cropping seasons. The
standards used in determining the water demand can usually be obtained from the
ministry or government agency for water in the country. Designs typically allow
for population growth and seasonality of demand.
Fresh water is generally obtained through
open sources or surface water, such as rivers, streams, and dams; or protected
ground water sources such as boreholes and wells. Each is characterized with
respect to security of supply, water quality, and replenishment. In general,
groundwater is preferred for potable water.
In assessing surface water sources, the
following aspects must be carefully considered:
Groundwater is a commonly used water
source. Groundwater is contained in aquifers, natural underground water
reservoirs accessed by wells or boreholes. A pumping test is conducted to
evaluate the amount of water that can be pumped from a particular aquifer. The
test determines the maximum yield (in m3/h) as well as the drawdown, or depth
to which the water level in the borehole will fall for a given yield and
duration (yield per meter of drawdown), while being dynamically replenished by
the aquifer. Obviously, a low drawdown is desirable.
In conventional engineering design, a
pump’s design flow rate is derived by dividing the daily water demand by the total
number of pumping hours in a day. Solar pumping applications, however, use the
number of peak sun hours to estimate the daily pumping hours.
For example, in a solar resource that
averages 7.0 kWh/m2/day, peak sun time is 7 hours/day. For a daily water
requirement of 70 m3/day, the design flow rate is 70,000 liters/day/7 hours/day
= 10,000 liters/hour. The design flow rate should not exceed the maximum water
source pumping rate or yield. The design flow rate is used for future water
pressure drop calculations and pipe sizing.
Most solar pumping systems require water
storage capacity to improve performance and reliability. Reliability is
improved when a storage tank is used to store water extracted during sunshine
hours to meet water needs at night, or in the event of cloudy weather or system
downtime.
In general, SWP tanks should be sized to
store at least a 2–3-days of water supply (daily demand (m3/day) x 3 days =
storage volume (m3). Field survey data indicate that many SWP storage tanks are
too small, and experience water overflows in the daytime and shortages in the
evening. Optimal tank sizing must account for the hourly water demand pattern
as well as possible insolation variations supplying the tank.
Diesel pump systems, or SWP switchable with
diesel back-up, on other hand, allow for much smaller tanks for back-up storage
since the diesel pump may be run at any time.
In pumping systems, “head” refers to the
height to which water must be pumped relative to its normal level (e.g.,
underground). Total dynamic head (TDH) or total pumping head is the sum of
three components Dynamic water level (DWL) is the depth of the surface of the
aquifer. This gradually increases due to drawdown, hence the term “dynamic.” Discharge
head corresponds to the height above the ground of the water surface inside the
storage tank (usually 5–10 m).This water is discharged to users through
gravity, thus the name “discharge.” Friction head accounts for the friction of
the water against the inside of the pipes (both vertical and horizontal). It is
typically 10% of the DWL plus discharge head. A pumping test can provide
information on the DWL and the discharge head, whereas the friction head can be
more accurately obtained from head loss charts for pipes at the required flow
rate and pipe characteristics.
Although not critical to the initial system
sizing, PV panels should be installed close to the pump and water source,
equator-facing, at optimal tilt angle to the horizon, and unshaded in any part
of the solar array for the solar day. Panels should generally be situated in a
secure and safe location. These issues can be fine-tuned during final design
and installation, but for purposes of preliminary design, it is conceivable
that the solar array would not be closely located to the pump, and thus longer
array cables are required, with possible energy losses. This scenario calls for
a high allowance for power loss in array cables.
Solar insolation is a measure of the
cumulative irradiance received on a specific area over a period of time. It is
a measure of energy (rather than power), normally expressed in kilowatt-hours
(kWh/m2/ day). The characteristics of the solar resource at the site are critical
to system design. Sunshine reaches the earth through radiation. Solar
irradiance is the power of solar radiation received per unit area. Irradiance
is the instantaneous measurement of power, in watts or kilowatts per square
meter (W/m2 or kW/m2). Irradiance is affected by the angle of sun, and at any
time of day it is highest when a solar module is perpendicular to the incident
sun rays. Since the sun’s position in the sky changes during the day,
irradiance increases during the morning until noon (when it is highest), and
then decreases until sunset, since the sun’s rays must penetrate more of the
atmosphere
Solar insolation is effectively equal to
the area under the solar irradiance curve. Peak sun hours per day is just
another term for solar insolation and is always measured in kWh/m2/day.
Solar resources vary from area to area solar radiation is generally higher in regions
near the equator. Factors that affect the amount of solar radiation on a
particular area include latitude, prevalence of cloudy periods, humidity,
atmospheric clarity, and seasonal variations.
Long-term statistical weather data from
meteorological stations is usually provided in the form of monthly averaged
data for insolation on a horizontal surface, and includes daily variations of
this insolation. Since sizing of SWP systems requires further adjustments and
optimizations to this data to account for non horizontal or tilted solar arrays
orientated toward the equator, the complex nature of these calculations and
statistical basis of the data suits computer-based sizing approaches.
Seasonal changes in solar radiation.
Essentially, SWP water output is more or less proportional to irradiation.
First-pass sizing is usually based on average insolation for the year, or
perhaps the worst month of the year. It is necessary to assess the output for
days when radiation will be less than the annual average, and less than the
monthly average. Tilt angle optimization is required.
Seasonal changes in pumping head.
Similarly, drops in water levels will affect pump output. Water output is more
or less indirectly proportionate to pumping head. Too conservative an
estimation of water level will result in system oversizing.
Sunny versus cloudy days: Average
insolation is insufficient. A key variable is the amount of cloud cover and
intermittency of the sunshine. Especially, variable speed drives coupled with
AC pumps tend to suffer degraded performance under stop-start solar conditions,
since they require minimum power conditions start-up, and take considerable
time to spool up once threshold levels are reached. So while 2 days might have
the same amount of cumulative insolation, a clear morning with zero sun in the
afternoon is likely to yield far higher water output than an intermittently
cloudy day. Derating for this kind of local variability is important for
certain motor pump types in particular.
Array location: Maximized solar energy
production depends on panel location and orientation. Panels should be
equator-facing, with panel tilt predetermined based on latitude and local
weather conditions to maximize incident insolation and facilitate panel
cleaning during the rainy season. Shading at any time of day should be avoided.
Because many solar pumping systems are located in remote areas, the risk of
vandalism and theft can be significant, and panels should not be easily
accessible by the public. If the use of trees and vegetation for shielding is
deemed acceptable, then adjustment to sizing may be required if this reduces
the amount of available solar radiation due to shading, especially in early
morning and late afternoon. This should be decided before installation.
Safety standards: PV systems present a
unique combination of hazards and risks, which must be addressed by sound
design and specifications followed by proper installation, operation, and
maintenance of the system. In large pumping systems, high-voltage DC arrays
require special cabling, switch gear, and clear labelling.
Equipment protection. Protecting equipment
against faults on both the DC and AC sides requires careful attention to
earthing design and protective components. Risk of lightning damage isis
document, key considerations include: addressed by grounding (giving electrical
lightning surges a direct path to the ground that bypasses valuable equipment)
and by installing lightning arrestors and surge protectors.Another major risk
is that of vandalism and theft. Measures to curb this risk include:Build
community ownership; Locate the solar array in a populated area with regular
foot traffic; Fence the array to make access more difficult; Arrange for
security guards; Install motion-detecting sensors and alarms whenever possible;
Spot-weld bolts or use tamper-proof bolts, screws, and fasteners; Use
anti-theft array mounting frames. These metallic structures hold the panels and
are designed to withstand strong winds. There are three types of frames:
ground, roof, and post
Commissioning immediately follows
installation and refers to the process of “handing-over” the system to the
client, i.e., ensuring that all system components have been properly installed,
are in good condition and that the system is operating as expected.
Commissioning comprises three main elements: documentation, inspection, and
testing, and should be carried out in ac- cordance with the IEC/BS EN 62446
(for high-voltage DC arrays and earthing). General installation, including the
AC side, should be in accordance with IEC 60364-9-1 (low-voltage electrical
installations; installation, design and safety requirements for photovoltaic
systems), and/or with British Wiring Standards BS 7671. Documentation should
include single line diagram, individual component documentation, an O&M
manual, and equipment warranty information. Testing benchmarks the system’s
performance against the design requirements and assumptions, notably by
measuring the water output against solar radiation and pumping head
After the system has been installed and
commissioned, focus shifts to O&M throughout its lifetime. System operation
can be optimized by closely monitoring and recording key system parameters
(data logging), enabling operators to assess system performance or demand
changes.
One crucial aspect of maintenance is
warranties, usually against defective components or poor workmanship. Under the
defects period of 1 to 2 years, any items that fail, are not installed to
standard, or are damaged by natural calamities must be corrected on site at
cost to the contractor/supplier/ installer. During the warranty period, the
supplier is also expected to check
system components and perform preventive maintenance at least quarterly (in any
case, neither pumps nor panels require heavy maintenance, with panels only
needing periodic cleaning) to attend to user
Component Usual warranty period
Solar panels 25 years
Pump/motor 2-5 years
Inverter 5-10 years
Remaining components 1-2 years
complaints within a reasonable period of
time, and to resolve any system breakdowns within 3 days. In addition to
component warranties, the supplier may also provide a performance warranty on
the system as a whole, ensuring that it will meet or exceed the design performance
for a number of years. (See Table 3 for some example warranty time lines.)
Sustainability of solar SWP has been a
challenge in many countries and especially in rural areas, with systems failing
often within a short time after commissioning due to lack of proper O&M. It
is therefore increasingly common for communities to establish comprehensive
maintenance contracts with suppliers during warranty periods, and it is a good
practice to extend such contracts beyond the warranty period. Suppliers should
further secure system sustainability by training system operators, namely on
basic plumbing skills useful for repairing leakages in the pipe network and on
handling the advanced inverters and sensors common in modern solar pumping
systems.
Since solar panels have no moving parts
that could be affected by rust or break down, solar power requires very limited
maintenance, other than regular dusting. Cleaning the solar panels with water
is recommended to remove any dirt or dust.
Solar
Pumping and Pakistan
A solar powered water pump uses the suns
energy to supply electricity for the pump. The solar panels absorb the suns
energy and convert it into electrical energy for the pump to operate. These
pumps work most effectively on sunny days and adjust their output to the
varying irradiance. Therefore, they are most suitable for Pakistani farmers due
to the high levels of solar irradiance in Pakistan. For people living in remote
and rural areas the cost of running power lines, poles, and transformers or
diesel pumping water is generally very expensive. Solar water pumps are an
excellent alternative and are becoming more common for use in crop irrigation.
Tube wells presently installed in the country are as follows (2011):
|
Type
|
Area
|
Number of Tube wells/Lift Pumps by Horse Power
|
Total
|
||||
|
Less than 10 Hp
|
10hp to 15 hp
|
16hp to 20 hp
|
21hp to 25 hp
|
Greater than 25hp
|
|||
|
Diesel
|
Punjab
|
3,224
|
110,890
|
542,419
|
25,404
|
89,701
|
771,638
|
|
Sindh
|
540
|
6,671
|
33,554
|
524
|
1,408
|
42,697
|
|
|
KPK
|
1,712
|
2,891
|
4,854
|
542
|
1,020
|
11,019
|
|
|
Balochistan
|
284
|
2,123
|
5,270
|
802
|
1,078
|
9,557
|
|
|
Total Diesel
|
5,760
|
122,575
|
586,097
|
27,272
|
93,207
|
834,911
|
|
|
Electric
|
Punjab
|
34,651
|
53,781
|
61,865
|
2531
|
70,990
|
223,818
|
|
Sindh
|
6,328
|
9,765
|
6,824
|
252
|
5,588
|
28,757
|
|
|
KPK
|
18,761
|
4,874
|
3,837
|
898
|
3,581
|
31,951
|
|
|
Balochistan
|
5,617
|
8,402
|
6,519
|
1343
|
8,129
|
30,010
|
|
|
Total Electric
|
65,357
|
76,822
|
79,045
|
5,024
|
88,288
|
314,536
|
|
|
Total
|
71,117
|
199,397
|
665,142
|
32,296
|
181,495
|
1,149,447
|
|
Solar Tube
Wells for Baluchistan
The federal and Baluchistan governments have
agreed to undertake feasibility for installation of 30,000 solar tube wells in
the province by replacing the existing conventional tube wells. The reliance on
solar-powered tube wells in Baluchistan will lead to annual savings of Rs23
billion as the federal government will not need to release billions of rupees
in electricity subsidy. The Power Division minister, while expressing his
views, said the federal government was paying Rs23 billion per year in subsidy
on 30,000 tube wells in Baluchistan and their shift to solar power would ease
the burden on the national exchequer. The switch to clean and renewable energy
would also ensure power supply at affordable prices to agriculturists and would
help increase crop productivity, he said. The move would help in mitigation of
circular debt as all illegal connections associated with the tube wells would
be exposed with the connection to solar panels and proper action would be taken
against stealing. “Electricity theft from these tube wells will come to a
halt.”
Solar Tube wells
Punjab and Sindh governments had a project
to replace diesel pumps with solar. The projects had little success as in spite
of the subsidy offered farmers were reluctant to put funds up front.
