Solar Water Pumping for Productive Uses in Nepal
Abstract
The market for solar pumps is rapidly increasing due to rapidly declining costs and technology improvements that are replacing traditional manual (hand) pumps, mechanical windmills, and diesel engines around the globe. They are also reducing the demands on local and national power grids. Solar pumping has become a significant niche for the renewable energy industry. It is also becoming an important income generator for small scale farmers who can increase crop production through irrigation; fish farmers increasing fish yields through reliable water and aeration; and livestock herders through reliable water supply for their animals. This paper details solar water pumping advances and impacts that are making a real difference in the daily lives of rural Nepali farmers and communities.