Feasibility study and design of efficient and cost effective PV Powered water pump: Case study in Tunda cell Rwanda

Abstract

In recent days, people working in the agricultural field are facing a lot of problems in cultivating their crops due to the lack of sufficient rain that can help them for obtaining the good productions. The solution to such a problem can be provided by using a solar photovoltaic water pump which was designed because solar energy is environment friendly and available for free. As objective research is feasibility study and design of efficient and cost-effective PV powered water pump for irrigation, The design of the solar PV powered water pumping system in Tunda cell based on the data of solar radiation, average monthly temperature, and other weather condition, It is designed to satisfy the total power demand of the hydraulic pump using solar PV modules to irrigate. The system components are a solar PV module, PMDC motor-driven PV water pump, and battery. The system is configuration made to produce 12800 m3 water which is the maximum daily water demand for irrigating 160 hectares of the lands near the lake Cyohoho. The hydraulic power of the pump calculated considering the total dynamic head, volume of water required, density of water, and acceleration due to the gravity and maximum sun hour per day. Based on this initial power demand, the number of PV modules, and the battery is determined. The comparison analysis made by using HOMER energy software, the total cost PV system is $8,499,742.00 while diesel fuel generator pumping system is $11,905,510, even by comparing levelized cost of energy, for a PV system is $0.2524 per kWh while for diesel fuel system is $0.3534, without including pump set, water storage tank, installation and pipes cost. Also, solar PV systems are friendly to the environment because their pollution is free to compare to diesel generator water pumping system produces different gases such as 1,415,643kg/year of carbon dioxide, 7,506 kg/year CO,3538kg/year SO2 to the living environment. Even the comparison of initial investment, total life, maintenance and operation costs and the pollution production, the best considerable is PV powered water pump instead of diesel fuel generator