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. 

Manufacturers

In the simplest terms, manufacturing is the process of producing actual goods or items/products through the use of raw materials, human labour, use of machinery, tools and other processes such as chemical formulation. This process usually starts with product designing and raw material selection, turning them into an actual product output. 

Solar Products Manufacturers and Factories

In terms of solar, manufacturing encompasses the fabrication or production of materials across the solar market chain. The most common product being manufactured by solar companies are the solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which are made with several subcomponents such as solar wafers, cells, glass, back sheets, and frames. Before a solar panel comes into life, it will undergo a lot of processes, from designing, modelling, choosing what raw materials to use and then assembling them all to make the final product.

More Than Just Solar Panels

Aside from the solar panels, solar companies have many other manufactured products that are required to make solar energy systems work smoothly, like solar inverters, batteries, combiner boxes, and racking and tracking structures.

Having a solar manufacturing sector makes a big difference in supplying affordable solar energy in different areas. Aside from maintaining the rising domestic and global demand for cleaner and renewable energy, they also help the economy grow, particularly the solar industry. If you are in search of a reliable solar manufacturing company, checking out our solar outsourcing company, SolarFeeds, would help you get easy access to reliable information, news, data and a list of solar manufacturers that can help you with solar products.

Panama

Solar Market Outlook in Panama

The National Energy Plan 2015-2020 of Panama has an ambitious target of making 70 percent of the country’s energy supply coming from a renewable source within a 35-year period. This plan is part of the country’s long-term roadmap towards increasing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions through its energy system. 

The country has considered its renewable energy capacity and there are plenty of sources available. Therefore, they are not just looking at solar energy sources but others too like wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower. 

In 2019, Panama has reached 500 MW in solar PV energy. This was a huge leap from the previous year’s 176 MW solar capacity. This solar capacity rate is expected to continue growing as more solar projects are granted licenses. One of the largest projects to date is that of a Spanish firm that is looking at investing in a solar farm. 

Despite the positive outlook for the Panama solar market, there are undeniable challenges that the government is hoping to address. Among these challenges are the current power-market model (that favors conventional energy sources) and lack of flexibility measures. 

Solar Energy Equipment Supply Capacity in Panama

There are many global suppliers and distributors of solar power equipment that are serving the Panama market. This is good news as the local solar power investments are still in its infancy stage. Therefore, residential and industrial segments looking to expand its solar installations will have enough options available. 

Top 4 Major Seaports & Logistics in Panama

Panama has easy access to ports that facilitate logistics and handling of goods like solar power equipment from all over the globe. The list of the major seaports in Panama that facilitate handling of imported and exported goods include the ports in

• Panama City
• Colon, Balboa
• Cristobal
• Manzanillo.