Solar Powered Pumps

A Guide To Solar Pumps

From the day when the electricity was discovered by Sir Benjamin Franklin and others, it has become an inseparable part of human life. However, many people tend to forget that 85% of the electricity that is used worldwide is generated from non-renewable energy sources such as coal, water and fuel. The basic process involves combustion of fossil fuels due to which steam is created. This steam is blown at a very high pressure into a turbine as a result of which it spins, thereby producing electricity. An important fact is that millions of tons of fossil fuel or gallons of water are consumed everyday across the world so as to generate electricity in adequate amounts. As a result of this unabated rate of consumption, these natural resources are getting exhausted at an unimaginable rate. Hence, the world is looking towards better or alternate sources of energy that are renewable and can be used without worrying about them getting exhausted. One such alternative is the solar energy.

Solar energy can be aptly defined as the energy that is derived directly from the sun. Sun is a huge repertoire of light and energy that illuminates our planet. A major advantage of using solar energy is that it is a renewable and non-conventional energy reserve that cannot get exhausted even for the next billion years. In the recent times, there has been an increased interest among the people regarding the use of solar energy. In fact, one can find a huge collection of house hold appliances in the market that operate utilizing the solar energy. One such appliance is a solar pump.

Pumps are most commonly used for pumping water either from the wells or in a fountain. Traditional pumps that are now available in the market operate only when they are connected to the electric supply coming from the grid. Solar pumps are a slight variation in this category. Solar powered pumps are almost similar to the conventional pumps in terms of design. Only difference is with the power source. Solar powered pumps utilize electricity derived from the solar energy as a power source while the traditional pumps are powered by an internal combustion engine.

A solar pump is usually comprised of two primary components that include the pump for pumping the water and the electrical component that supplies the energy. This electrical component contains elements that capture the solar energy, convert it into electrical current, store the energy and supply the power required to operate the pump. Solar energy is harnessed and converted to energy using solar panels fitted with photovoltaic cells. Thus converted energy is then stored in NiMh or NiCd batteries.

The advantage of using solar energy for driving pumps is that these types of pumps are relatively inexpensive, easy to install, do not any wiring or electrical connections and require very less maintenance. Also, one can even use these pumps during nights. Moreover, combustion of solar energy doesn’t release any fumes unlike traditional pumps where tremendous amount of greenhouse gases are eliminated into the atmosphere. Hence, pumps that are powered by the solar energy can be considered as beneficial to the environment. Also, these pumps are extremely safe as they do not involve getting any electrical shocks.

At present, there are different types of solar powered pumps available in the market and can be used anywhere and for any purpose including aeration of fish ponds or for irrigational activities. Also, one can obtain these solar powered pumps from any of the home improvement stores or purchase from the internet. However, one needs to be a bit careful while shopping for these appliances. Solar pumps that are available in the market are usually not supplied with batteries. Hence, always insist for one that has a battery backup system. This is because solar batteries are very much expensive. Second fact is that one should purchase solar pumps that can operate using the DC power. Or else, one has to invest an additional amount on buying an inverter that converts current from DC to AC. Also, one must purchase a solar pump depending on the volume of water one intends to move so as to save the cost.

On a whole, solar-powered pumps are an effective way of saving the environment and conserving the energy, apart from reducing the power consumption. So why not opt for one?