Solar PV Pumping Survey
Solar PV Pumping Survey
Solar PV Pumping Survey
Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Powai, Mumbai 400 076 December 2012
Abstract
Water pumping is an energy intensive activity and consumes a large amount diesel and electricity. Solar energy, which is abundantly available in India, can be used for pumping water via Solar-PV technology. In this study, we try to understand the performance of the already deployed solar PV water pumps in the Mumbai and Thane area. The sites we visited included solar pumps installed under Govt. schemes such as the GSDA and installations by private clubs in both rural and urban areas. Along with the analysis of performance, various socio-economic aspects of the surrounding communities are also looked at. Based on our findings, we have come up with a list of recommendations mainly focused on development of community knowledge and greater accountability from the vendors. Along with these recommendations, future work should involve gathering of reliable data for analyzing the performance and operation of the pump and a sizing mechanism as well as a pump-type selection framework.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 2 Motivation ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Objective ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Structure of the report ................................................................................................................... 2
Literature Survey .................................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Understanding the Technology ..................................................................................................... 3 Main Components ................................................................................................................. 3 Types of Pumps..................................................................................................................... 5
Field Visits .......................................................................................................................................... 10 3.1 3.2 3.3 Ujjaini, Avade and Angav ........................................................................................................... 10 Rotary Club Joggers park, Vile Parle, Mumbai .......................................................................... 14 BMC Cement Storage and Engineering Projects building .......................................................... 16
4 5 6
List of Figures
Figure 2-1 Configuration of a solar PV powered pumping system .............................................................. 4 Figure 2-2 Surface Centrifugal Pump ........................................................................................................... 5 Figure 2-3 A typical 'cut-down' pump .......................................................................................................... 6 Figure 3-1 Solar Panel at Ujjaini................................................................................................................. 11 Figure 3-2Storage tank at Ujjaini ................................................................................................................ 13 Figure 3-3 Hand Pump at Ujjaini ................................................................................................................ 14 Figure 3-4 Solar panel at Avade ................................................................................................................. 15 Figure 3-5 Control Unit at Avade ............................................................................................................... 15 Figure 3-6 Solar Panel at Angav ................................................................................................................. 16 Figure 3-7 Solar panel at Joggers park........................................................................................................ 17
ii
Introduction
1.1 Motivation
Unlike conventional diesel or electrical pumps, solar photovoltaic (PV) pumps are powered by an array of solar panels. Solar PV pumps are designed to operate on DC power produced by solar panels. These pumps are gaining popularity all over the world, especially in the areas where electricity is either unavailable or unreliable. Solar PV pumps are becoming a preferred choice in remote locations to replace hand-pumps, grid-connected electrical pumps and diesel pumps. In such places, solar PV pumps are even viable economically in comparison to conventionally run pumps. Solar water pumps were first introduced for water provision in off-grid areas. The technology has developed around many different designs and in some water pumps the reliability and maintenance requirements have improved over the initial pumps introduced to the market. Solar pumps are easy to install, require no nonrenewable energy, operate autonomously and are generally good for the sustainability of boreholes due to their low extraction volumes spread over eight to ten hours a day. The initial capital cost is high due to the cost of the photovoltaic modules. The maintenance requirements differ and range between annual and five year maintenance intervals. A perceived limiting factor of solar pumps is that they do not easily cater for fluctuating water demands or increased water demand although solutions for this are being offered. As the initial capital cost is very high, the buying behavior for solar pumps can be classified into a few categories: 1. High-income individuals setting up a solar pump for personal or commercial use, mostly in off-grid locations 2. Government funded schemes which install solar pumps for both drinking and irrigation requirements in locations with either no-electricity or unreliable supply. 3. Co-operative societies or groups that want to install solar pumps- these can be in both offgrid locations and urban locations with reliable supply. The aim of this study is to understand the basics of solar PV pumps and interact with the relevant stakeholders within the aforementioned 3 categories. We also list down the learning outcomes of the field visits to better understand the socio-economic aspects of future possible installations.
1.2 Objective
The objective of this study is 1. To understand the basics of solar-PV based pumps 2. To identify manufacturers, vendors/ suppliers, and customers using solar PV pump sets 3. To understand the issues involved in these applications through interaction with the stakeholders and field visits
2 Literature Survey
2.1 Understanding the Technology 2.1.1 Main Components
A solar pump typically consists of the following main components (Figure 2-1): Photovoltaic array: An array of photovoltaic modules connected in series and possibly strings of modules connected in parallel. Controller: An electronic device which matches the PV power to the motor and regulates the operation, starting and stopping of the PVP. The controller is mostly installed on the surface although some PVPs have the controller integrated in the submersible motor-pump set: 1. DC controller: usually based on a DC to DC controller with fixed voltage setpoint operation. 2. AC controller (inverter): converts DC electricity from the array to alternating current electricity often with maximum power point tracking. 3. Electric motor: There are a number of motor types: DC brushed, DC brushless, or three phase induction and three phase permanent magnet synchronous motors. 4. Pump: The most common pump types are the helical rotor pump (also referred to as progressive cavity), the diaphragm pump, the piston pump and the centrifugal pump. There are currently three pumping configurations that are the most common: 1. DC drives with positive displacement pumps. This consists of four pump technologies: a. Diaphragm pump driven by brushed DC motor: Submersible motor/pump b. Helical rotor pump driven by brushless DC motor: Submersible motor/pump c. Helical rotor pump driven by surface mounted brushed DC motor d. Piston pump driven by surface mounted brushed DC motor pump. 2. AC drive powering a submersible induction motor/centrifugal pump unit 3. AC drives powering a three phase permanent magnet synchronous motor. This category consists of: a. Positive displacement helical rotor pump b. Centrifugal pump
The above technologies have specific features which make them suitable for particular applications: 1. Array voltage: Some of the pumping systems have high array voltages. This has the advantage that the array may be further from the borehole without significant voltage drop (dependent on cable size and current). Array positioning may be important where there is potential for theft. 2. DC motors: DC motors reach efficiencies of up to 80% and are therefore significantly more efficient than sub-kW three phase motors which have efficiencies in the region of 60% to 65%. 3. Brushless DC motors: This combines the high efficiency of DC motors with low maintenance as opposed to brushed DC motors which require regular brush replacement (approximately every one to two years head and quality dependent). 4. Three phase permanent magnet motors: This similarly combines the high efficiency of permanent magnet motors with low maintenance.
Submersible Pump A submersible pump is one that is immersed in water. It pumps water by displacement. Submersible pumps are suited both to deep well and to surface water sources. Most deep wells use submersible pumps. These pumps are costlier but have a longer life and greater reliability than surface pumps. These pumps are designed for high head and medium flow application. They multi-stage pump and high efficiency micro-controller based inverter. The inverter optimizes the power input and thus enhances the overall system efficiency. Choice of Pump: A comparison Positive displacement pumps have a better daily delivery than centrifugal pumps when driven by a solar PV system with its characteristic variable power supply. This is due to the considerable drop in efficiency of the centrifugal pump when operating away from its design speed. This is the case in the morning and the afternoon of a centrifugal pump driven by a PV array, unless that array tracks the sun (which is why centrifugal PVPs effectiveness improves more with a tracking array than a positive displacement PVP). The efficiency curve of a positive displacement pump is flatter over a range of speeds. However the efficiency of positive displacement pumps decreases with the shallowness of the borehole (the constant fixed friction losses become a more significant part of the power it takes to lift water) [3].
6
Based on the case studies available through field testing done in multiple locations around the world, the advantages and limitations of solar pumping systems can be summarised as: 2.2.1 Advantages 1. Low operating cost: One of the important advantages is the negligible operating cost of the pump. Since there is no fuel required for the pump like electricity or diesel, the operating cost is minimal. 2. Low maintenance: A well-designed solar system requires little maintenance beyond cleaning of the panels once a week. Most vendors provide the post-installation service through trained technicians for every cluster, so that the farmers dont need to worry about availability of spares or other related problems. 3. Harmonious with nature: Another important advantage is that it gives maximum water output when it is most needed i.e. in hot and dry months. Slow solar pumping allows us to utilize low-yield water sources. 4. Flexibility: The panels need not be right beside the well. They can be anywhere up to 20 meters! 60 feet away from the well, or anywhere you need the water. So, it offers freedom regarding the placement of panels. These pumps can also be turned on and off as per the requirement, provided the period between two operations is more than 30 seconds.
2.2.2 Limitations 1. Low yield: Solar pumping is not suitable where the requirement is very high. The maximum capacity available with solar is very low. However, the output of the solar DC pump is more than a normal pump. 2. Variable yield: The water yield of the solar pump changes according to the sunlight. It is highest around noon and least in the early morning and evening. This variability should be taken into consideration while planning the irrigation. 3. Dry operation: The submersible pump has an in-built protection against dry run. However, the surface pumps are very sensitive to dry run. A dry run of 15 minutes or more can cause considerable damage to a surface pump. 4. Water quality: As with any other pump, solar pumps work best if the water is clean, devoid of sand or mud. However, if the water is not so clean, it is advisable to clean the well before installation or use a good filter at the end of the immersed pipe. 5. Theft: Theft of solar panels can be a problem in some areas. So the farmers need to take necessary precautions. Ideally, the solar system should insured against theft as well as natural hazards like lightning.
The MNRE has a programme for the deployment of various solar PV applications, including water pumping systems. However, the deployment has been sparse thus far, with only 7,334 solar PV water pumps having been installed across the country as of March 2010 [3]. Water demand for irrigation is correlated to bright sunny days. Hence, solar-based pumps make sense. Even so, small buffer storage might be needed to replace diesel satisfactorily. A solar PV water pumping system consists of a PV array, motor pump and power conditioning equipment, if needed. The power conditioning equipment is used to stabilize the fluctuating electrical energy output of the array. Depending on the total dynamic head and the required flow rate of water, the pumping system can either be on the surface or submersible and the motor can run on either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). For AC pumping systems an inverter is required. Ratings of pump sets are chosen depending on the water requirements, size of field, total dynamic head, type of irrigation (drip irrigation, use of sprinklers), etc. The key barrier to the large-scale dissemination of solar PV water pumps is the high capital cost incurred by farmers compared to the much lower capital cost of conventional pumps. Solar PV is a competitive option in the face of diesel, its adoption being contingent on the ease of access to subsidies. Another factor to be considered is the space requirement for the installation of a solar PV pump set. This factor limits adoption by small-scale farmers to whom land availability is a major
3 Field Visits
The Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA) of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department of the Government of Maharashtra have come up with an innovative drinking water supply scheme called Dual Pump Scheme in order to overcome the drawbacks of the existing bore well hand pump based schemes in rural Maharashtra. In order to ensure the sustainability of the scheme in terms of maintaining ground water levels, rainwater harvesting structures are made mandatory on the site of installation. Hence this scheme intends to reduce drudgery for women by providing for water through taps closer to homes. Due to the rain water harvesting component of the scheme and focus on source, it gets funded by National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). Around 1000 such schemes were implemented across Maharashtra during the year 2010-11. During the initial stages of implementation of this scheme, the solar power component was not a part of it; rather grid electricity was used to operate the pumps. Later it was observed that there is no electricity available in economically backward habitations and in hilly, difficult terrains of the state. Hence, GSDA modified the scheme and developed a Dual Pump Scheme based on Solar Energy. Within our field visits, we look at both the installations made through the GSDA and private installations done by clubs or other administrative agencies.
10
11
If we look at the socio-economic situation of the hamlet, it was connected to the grid only very recently. We also came to know about a case where the villagers felt that they had been overcharged in the electricity bill and had not consumed the said number of units. The meter installed at the home was also not transparent. Although it might well be the case that the previous debts were being shown in the bill. On the whole however, it seems that the solar pump is working to the satisfaction of the people here.
The pump installed at Avade (Figure 3-4 and 3-5) was installed after a proposal for the same was submitted by the Sarpanch to the GSDA and under their scheme, the funds were released. The pump is being implemented to supply water for only a part of the village where most of the households earn their living through farming. The irrigation pumps are run using electricity, while the solar pump provides for the drinking water through tank storage. The pump set-up here consisted of the panel and an AC-DC converter along with automated ON/OFF switches. The people here were also satisfied with the performance although they had to pay Rs. 60/month as water-tax.
12
The third location, Angav (Figure 3-6) is considerably closer to a semi-urban setting. The solar pump here was installed in 2011 and supplied drinking water to around 30 households (population of 150). Although most of the characteristics here are similar to the other location, the most important thing we noticed was that the panel fittings had started to rust and the terms of this being covered in the warranty are not clear as such since it only talks about the performance of the system. The people here were also satisfied with the installation claiming that it takes only 2-3 hours for the tank to get filled up.
13
14
The system is currently operated by the same technicians who used to operate the pump previously and based on the interaction, their knowledge and experience in operating the pump with DC power is questionable. The panel si cleaned every 15 days currently. An important point to note is that the warranty for the system is only for 1 year (solar panel for 10 years).
15
16
Based on our findings through the case studies, the learning outcomes can be summarized as follows: 1. With the implementation of community based management, the community takes ownership of the water supply installation and becomes responsible for the operational costs. When a solar pump system is installed then the community does not collect money as there are no operational costs. This leads to a crisis when the system requires a service or replacement after a few years of operation. Hence the system of collecting a water tax seems more suitable. 2. The use of batteries can be replaced by having a larger water storage system in the form of a tank. In our experience, we discovered from the local people that even in cloudy conditions, the pump was able to fill up the tank, which is a positive sign for shifting towards tank storage rather than battery storage. 3. Corrosion is a major problem for the pump as well as the panel holdings. Corrosion prevention measures can be installed so that the pump casing is not corroded. 4. Solar pumps do not utilize boreholes to the full extent a borehole with a safe yield of 5m3/hour will deliver more in 8 hours when pumped with a diesel engine than with a solar pump. It is understood that tracking will provide a better utilization factor but still not the same capacity as diesel. 5. The perception of the people still remains that solar pumps are high capital cost and as such are only a viable option in case of support from larger organizations like a farmer community or the government. 6. There is no focus on developing technical skill among the people using the system on a daily basis and in case of any issues; the company has to be contacted. In case of areas that are not easily accessible, this becomes a huge problem as the drinking water is an essential commodity. 7. Maintenance tasks such as cleaning of the panels or operation on a daily basis along with passive tracking should be assigned exclusively to designated people to ensure smooth operation. 8. Contrary to popular perception, even urban settings provide for feasible deployment of solar pumps, mainly when the quantity of water to be pumped and stored is larger in quantity, thus making it more economically feasible.
17
Recommendations
1. As seen in the system installed at Ujjaini, passive tracking is low-cost alternative to continuous tracking when there is enough performance for the required operation. This is much better than a fixed position of the panel and will improve efficiency considerable only at the cost of involvement of local people in operation of the movement. 2. The choice of pump in terms of AC or DC has to be looked at more closely to understand the trade-off involved in cost, availability, performance, stability and reliability of the motors versus the cost of a DC-AC converter. 3. The inclusion of a float switch in the system will lead to automated management of the water level and as such will give clear indication of the tank level along with reducing the need for an operator. 4. Focus should be on developing awareness about the option of solar pumps through schemes funded by the government. As we saw in the case of Avade, the initiative by local administration is very important. 5. Resources should also be allocated towards developing technical understanding and skills among the local people to reduce dependency on services provided by the company. 6. Steps should be taken to build a database of the operation timings of the pump along with the performance in terms of level of water in tank to better understand the performance of combinations of systems in diverse settings.
7. The issues of proper sizing of pumps should be dealt with more rigorously to understand the
18
References
[1] Image taken from www.solarpump.com [2] Image taken from www.morispumps.com [3] A report on Solar PV Applications in India, published by Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (2006-07) [4] Odeh, I, Yohanis, Y.G., and Norton, B. Economic viability of photovoltaic water pumping systems. Solar Energy 80 [2006], pp. 850-860, www.sciencedirect.com [5] Kamel, K. and Dahl, C. The economics of hybrid power systems for sustainable desert agriculture in Egypt. Solar Energy [2005], pp. 1271-1281, www.sciencedirect.com [6] Cuadros, F., Lopez-Rodriguez, F., Marcos, A. and Coello, J. A procedure to size solar-powered irrigation [photoirrigation] schemes. Solar Energy 76 [2004], pp. 465-473, www.sciencedirect.com. [7] Foster, R.E., Gupta, V.P. and Sanchez-Juarez, A. Field Testing of CdTe PV Modules in Mexico. ASES Solar 2006: Renewable Energy: Key to Climate Recovery. Jul. 8-13, 2006, Denver, CO, 6pp.. [8] Daud, A.-K. and Mahmoud, M. M. Solar powered induction motor-driven water pump operating on a desert well, simulation and field tests. Renewable Energy 30 [2005] pp. 701-714, [9] Clark, R.N. Photovoltaic water pumping for livestock in the Southern Plains. American Society of Agricultural Engineers Paper No. 94-4529, 1994. [10] Vick, B.D. and Clark, R.N. Comparison of Solar Powered Water Pumping systems which use Diaphragm Pumps. ASES 2007: Sustainable Energy Puts America to Work. July 7-12, Cleveland, OH, 6 pp. [11] Clark, R.N. and Vick, B.D., Performance Comparison of Tracking and Non-Tracking Solar Photovoltaic Water Pumping Systems, American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 1997, ASAE Paper No. 97-4003, [12]Clark, R.N., Vick, B. D., and Ling, S., Remote water pumping using a 1 kilowatt solar-PV AC system, American Society of Agricultural Engineers Paper No. 98-4087, 1998, 12 pp. [13]Vick, B.D., Clark, R.N., Solar-PV Water Pumping with Fixed and Passive Tracking Panels. ASES Solar 2002: Sunrise on the Reliable Energy Economy, Jun. 15-19, 2002, Reno, NV, 6 pp. [14]Vick, B.D., Clark, R.N., Water Pumping Performance of a Solar-PV Helical Pump, ISES 2005 Solar World Congress: Solar Energy Bringing Water to the World Aug. 6-12, Orlando, FL, 5 pp.
19
Appendix I
No Particulars 1 Location (habitation/GP/Taluka) Implementation Date/Status Dependent Houses/People No of Stand posts Yield of Source Other Water sources Power rating (Solar panel(Wp)/ pump(W)) 8 GSR Capacity(l)/ Height(m) 9 Time taken to fill the tank(hrs)/No of fillings VWSC(Y/N) Water Tax(Rs/month) Village Electrified(Y/N), Load shedding Contact Person/ Role Y(recently), 5-6 hrs 13 Bharat Lahange/ Operator 09260353264 Satisfied 5/1 NA 2-3/1 5000/1.5 NA 5000/3 450/900 900/900 Project Site 1 Ujjaini/ Bhokarpada/ Wada April 2011/ Working 44/260 9 Project Site 2 Aavade/ Vishwagarh/ Bhiwandi Under Construction 75/400 NA NA SVS 900/900 Project Site 3 Angav/ Angav/ Bhiwandi 2011 30/150 4
2 3 4 5 6 7
10 11 12
14
Peoples View
20
Appendix II
GENERAL INFORMATION Date of survey 18/9/2012 Details 1 Name, Address and Contact Number of the Pump owner Rotary Club Joggers Park, Vile Parle, Mumbai. Contact: Mr. Sanjay (Sanjay marketing), Mobile: 09820223853
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 2 Source of Water: (Details of availability, head and distance required) Details of pre-solar pump installation situation, any problems incurred Previous cost for irrigation Vs Current Cost (Can be used to calculate ROI) Installation date and scheme (if benefited) System current working status Solar panel (Make, ratings, Type ) BMC provides the water to the underground tank of capacity 40,000 liters electric pumps, 7.5 hp 8 units of electricity per hour, with 4-5 hours of operation 8/9/2012 System is very new, working fine till now Thin Film solar cells. 12 modules. Type: Schott ASI 97. Power = 118.3W, V = 17.42V, I = 5.57A. Company: Schott Solar AG (D-63755) 2 hp Green force pump. Details are with Snajay marketing. Operating minimum DC voltage = 400V Sprinklers. Total 31, out of which 8-11 are used at a time on rotating basis for an hour Pump water from underground tank to individual sprinklers 33 mtr head No battery
4 5 6
Pump(Make, ratings, Type ) Considered using the old pump (if electric)? Type of irrigation system, total land holding (ha) Do they store Water in a tank? Type of storage? Tank (Dimension, Type), location Else is there storage battery? How do they meet surge current requirement for starting the motor? Water-head to be pumped Typical duty cycle (frequency of irrigation), System Downtime/Non-operational time (in weeks or months ) Operation and maintenance issues (Failures): Guarantees, Agreements
8 9 10 11
12 13
33 mtrs Operate during the day for 5 hours in the morning and afternoon Panel cleaning is done every 15 days. One year maintenance warranty by Sanjay marketing, Solar Panel warranty for 25 years (10% degradation in 10 years) Yes electricity Is available throughout the day
14
15
SOCIO-ECONOMIC PARAMETERS 16 17 18 Details of payment for water availability Installation stakeholders (Mainly the owner and the vendor) Cost incurrence (in percentage or in actual figures), What percentage is loan? Rate of Interest? (GSDA/Panchayat/Self/others) Any remarks on performance Utilization Area under each crop (ha) being irrigated using the system, yields Change in yield/Extra income generation due to irrigation calculate the ROIs Any alternative usage planned for the system (At least panels) so as to enhance the economic viability? Local technician available (Y/N) How do they plan to bear O&M cost (expected cost?) Other Remarks or observation One time payment of Rs. 6,40,000 Rotary Club and Sanjay Marketing One time payment by the club. Part of 2010-11 projects. Solar panle has names of Manu Sachdeva and Priti Lohia
19 20
21 22
Separate panels for the lighting 1.2kW. 53 light bulbs with battery (48V and 200Ah) Not technician, but operator, has knowledge about pump operation 1 year warranty, after that club will bear cost
23 24 25
26
Directions to reach the village/ hamlet (train/+bus/+auto..), approx. distance and time Name of the surveyor and contact no.
Joggers park is near Mithibai College in Vile Parle Amit Desai - 9769061907
27
Appendix III
22
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name, Address and Contact Number of the Pump owner: BMC, Cement godown, nimkar Road, Byculla, Mumbai. Contact person: Mr. Deepak Tupe, 9579061984
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 2 Source of Water: (Details of availability, head and distance required) Details of pre-solar pump installation situation, any problems incurred Previous cost for irrigation Vs Current Cost (Can be used to calculate ROI) Installation date and scheme (if benefited) System current working status Solar panel (Make, ratings, Type ) Pump(Make, ratings, Type ) Considered using the old pump (if electric)? Type of irrigation system, total land holding (ha) Do they store Water in a tank? Type of storage? Tank (Dimension, Type), location Else is there storage battery? How do they meet surge current requirement for starting the motor? Water-head to be pumped BMC provides the water to the underground tank of capacity 50,000 liters electric pump, 5 hp 2 hours of operation on electricity June 2012 Working fine till now 16X TataBP 1280. 80 Watt, 18.2 V, 4.4 A Submersible Pump (1hp-2hp), (30-300V) Water being pumped to overhead tank Water stored in Overhead tank 50,000 Ltrs, on the terrace No battery
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13
70 ft. Operate during the day for 5 hours in the morning and afternoon Panel was not cleaned Yes electricity Is available throughout the day
Typical duty cycle (frequency of irrigation), System Downtime/Non-operational time (in weeks or months ) 14 Operation and maintenance issues (Failures): Guarantees, Agreements 15 Electricity (Y/N, duration per day), quality of power supply, SOCIO-ECONOMIC PARAMETERS 16 17 18 Details of payment for water availability Installation stakeholders (Mainly the owner and the vendor) Cost incurrence (in percentage or in actual figures), What percentage is loan? Rate of Interest? (GSDA/Panchayat/Self/others) 23
NA BMC office NA
19 20
Any remarks on performance Utilization Area under each crop (ha) being irrigated using the system, yields Change in yield/Extra income generation due to irrigation calculate the ROIs Any alternative usage planned for the system (At least panels) so as to enhance the economic viability? Local technician available (Y/N) How do they plan to bear O&M cost (expected cost?) Other Remarks or observation NA
21 22
No
23 24 25
26
Directions to reach the village/ hamlet (train/+bus/+auto..), approx. distance and time Name of the surveyor and contact no.
27
24