
Solar Powered Irrigation
There are more than 10,000 solar powered surface and bore water pumps in use around the world today. They are widely used on farms and outback stations in to supply bore and surface sourced water to livestock.
In developing countries they are used extensively to pump water from wells and rivers to villages for domestic consumption and irrigation of crops. Once a very expensive technology, prices have dropped in recent years and can be further offset through government rebates and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
A typical solar powered pumping system consists of a solar panel array that powers an electric motor, which in turn powers a bore or surface pump. The water is often pumped from the ground or stream into a storage tank that provides a gravity feed, so energy storage is not needed for these systems. PV powered pumping systems are a cost-effective alternative to agricultural wind turbines for remote area water supply.
Benefits
Solar irrigation is the answer to a lot of watering needs and they are perfect for gardens and plantations, but their usefulness does not end there. On those days when the sun is high overhead you need more water to keep your plants healthy. Having a solar pump means you will never run dry because your energy source is right there. If add a proper deep-cycle leisure or marine battery to your solar system, you can pump water 24 hours a day. Irrigation systems can be automated by using a timer. The timer will trigger the water pump every evening at the programmed time.
It is best to irrigate your garden at night during the summer so that the plants have time to absorb the water before it evaporates.
With all these great advantages it is easily understandable why solar irrigation is becoming so popular for watering needs for both gardens and plantations.
We can blame global warming for all of the hosepipe bans that seem to be frequenting communities as of late. Water companies have always been slow in fixing any type of leaks and as such, people have begun to collect rainwater and grey water so that they could water their gardens. The problem is simple: getting the water to where you need it to go.
A great perk that is offered by solar irrigation is that solar pump units have almost no running costs associated with them whatsoever. Batteries are the only components that will need replacement. Other irrigation units use gasoline or electricity. The sun is still free and because solar pumps runs strictly on the sun that means they are environmentally safe. The use of renewable energy means no toxic emissions to be shot into the atmosphere. Instead of working toward global warming solar pumping actually helps to prevent it.
Please see our small solar irrigation package to have an estimate cost of a solar irrigation system.
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