Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: The state of the solar market
Like most territories in the Caribbean Islands, Puerto Rico struggles to provide constant electricity via conventional sources. However, it has made some tremendous strides in solar energy exploitation in the last couple of years. Currently, the Island targets to attain 40% renewable energy by 2025 and 100% by 2050. This target is mainly responsible for Puerto Rico’s solar market growth over the last couple of years.
In 2017, the Island had a utility-scale installed solar capacity of 127 Megawatts and 88 Megawatts of small-scale installed capacity. In February 2021, Puerto Rico’s electric power authority requested proposals to generate 1 Gigawatt of renewable energy capacity. This reveals that the Puerto Rican solar market is poised for further growth.
What does this growth mean for you as a solar installer or any other photovoltaic professional? Well, the development of any market always comes with vast opportunities. So, it’s accurate to say that several lucrative opportunities are waiting for you in Puerto Rico’s budding solar market.
Does Puerto Rico have the capacity to produce and supply solar equipment?
Even though Puerto Rico is still a young solar market, it enjoys a substantial presence of solar equipment manufacturers and suppliers. If you are searching for a reliable equipment supplier in Puerto Rico, Solarfeeds has got you covered. We help prospective clientele access leading solar equipment manufacturers and suppliers in different markets, including Puerto Rico.
The best thing about choosing to work with Solarfeeds is that you don’t have to move around requesting quotes. A simple visit to our inquiry page solves all your problems. Moreover, we guarantee quality and affordable equipment.
Ports and Logistics services in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico boasts of several major ports. It also has one of the most advanced logistics infrastructures in the Caribbean Islands. Basically, the country is every solar installer’s and photovoltaic professional’s dream-come-true.
Solar Water Pump
Solar water pump definition
A solar water pump is a mechanical pump powered by electricity generated using photovoltaic panels. It is popularly referred to as a solar water pumping system because it requires several key components to work. The critical constituents of a functional water pump include;
- A solar panel array
- A mechanical DC water pump
- Photovoltaic cables
- A fuse box
- A solar charger control
You can employ a solar water pump in various applications, including crop irrigation and drinking water supply. Currently, it is the most suitable option for all your pumping needs because it has several benefits. It is essentially more efficient to operate and less costly to maintain than traditional fossil fuel-powered pumps. More importantly, it is environmentally friendly primarily because it runs on renewable solar energy. How exactly does it work?
The solar water pump’s working principle
When most of us hear of a solar water pump, we assume it is pretty challenging to use. I can confidently tell you that its usage is pretty straightforward once you install all the necessary components. Figure 1 below offers an outline of the main things you need to have in place for your solar water pump to work efficiently;
Figure 1: Components of a functional solar water pump system
The solar array absorbs solar energy and converts it into electric energy. The solar water pump’s inverter converts the DC electric current output generated by the photovoltaic system into AC. The AC electric current powers the pump and propels water from the source to the intended destination.
It is also crucial to note that the inverters regulate the electricity output frequency and voltage instantaneously. These regulatory actions correspond to variations in sunlight intensity. In simple terms, the system switches to supplementary energy automatically when sunlight intensity weakens. Is this not enough to convince you that a solar water pumping system is worth its investment?
Classifications of solar water pumps
There are several classifications of solar water pumps that you can choose from depending on your specific needs. The main varieties of solar water pumps include;
- The submersible solar water pump
This type of pump is ideal for deep water sources such as wells. It can lift up to 650 feet of water provided the sunlight energy can generate sufficient electricity to power the pump. Consequently, it is advisable to pump and store water when the sun’s intensity is at its best.
- The surface solar water pump
This pumping system is suitable for shallow water sources, including streams, storage tanks, and ponds. They can comfortably lift water with a depth of not more than 20 feet. If you intend to draw water beyond this depth, it would be best to settle for submersible pumps.