Innovation: SunPulse Water - solar thermal water pump

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Sunvention pump at Tamera test site Sunvention have developed an integrated solar thermal water pump, possibly the first cost-effective solution to village-scale pumping in sunbelt countries.

Problem

Much of the world's rural poor lack access to water, and part of this is a lack of cost-effective pumping.

The World Bank set a “maximum water cost target” of 6 US cents/m3 as benchmark for pumping systems in order to be economically employed in sunbelt countries. Gasoline powered pumps figure in the relevant World Bank Study at 8.58 US cents/m3, while photovoltaic systems are estimated at US 8.4 cents/m3.

Solution

Sunvention have developed an integrated solar thermal pump. It uses a collector, steered in two axis, and coupled directly to a slow-speed atmospheric pressure Stirling engine, which can be coupled directly to a pump – or other requirement for mechanical power.

The system is designed for manufacture in developing countries, using locally available, non-toxic, recyclable, materials and appropriate techniques.

Head meters (feet)	Volume per day Litres (Gallons)
Field Irrigation	400,000 l (100,000 g)
10m (33 ft)	80,000 l (21,000 g)
50m (165 ft)	17,000 l (4,500 g)

The pump, starts working at sunrise, and with 8 hours of sun, can pump significant volumes.

Buffering systems can extend usage to 24-hours.

It is estimated the pump could be produced for about US$1,250 and sold of US$2,500.

Market

TÜV labs recently assessed the system at a cost of US 2.4c/m3 making it the first village scale pump that we are aware of that meets the World Bank target.

There are 20 million diesel pumps (typically of this capacity) in India alone. Reaching even 0.1% of this market per year, would generate US$ 25m/year gross profit.

Additional markets include any off-grid pumping application in sunny regions. Air pumping for fish-farms; off-grid mechanical requirements (milling, grinding, compressing etc)