DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.3.2.107-117

Economic feasibility of large scale PV water pumping applications utilizing real field data for a case study in Jordan

The Water, Energy and Environment Center, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

Published: 15 Jul 2014.
Editor(s):

Citation Format:
Abstract

Economic viability of photovoltaic, diesel and grid connected water pumping systems is investigated and compared for system capacities in the range 1500 m4/day to 100,000 m4/day. Actual performance data from installed systems are considered in calculating systems outputs for base case scenarios. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to generalize results for other locations and conditions. Several scenarios of the effect of variation electricity tariffs, components prices, diesel fuel prices, operation cost and interest rate on the output water unit cost (US$/1000m4)  are investigated.  Breakeven points of PV pumping systems are determined at certain input parameters.

Fulltext View|Download
Keywords: PV water pumping; water unit cost; economic feasibility; interest rate; equivalent hydraulic energy

Article Metrics:

Article Info
Section: Original Research Article
Language : EN
Recent articles
Utilization of Iles-Iles and Sorghum Starch for Bioethanol Production Premixed Combustion of Kapok (ceiba pentandra) seed oil on Perforated Burner Economic feasibility of large scale PV water pumping applications utilizing real field data for a case study in Jordan More recent articles
Most cited articles
A Linear Regression Model for Global Solar Radiation on Horizontal Surfaces at Warri, Nigeria Analysing the potential of retrofitting ultra-low heat loss triple vacuum glazed windows to an existing UK solid wall dwelling Aerodynamic analysis of backward swept in HAWT rotor blades using CFD Thermal Energy Optimization of Building Integrated Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic Thermal Systems Tin (II) Chloride Catalyzed Esterification of High FFA Jatropha Oil: Experimental and Kinetics Study More cited articles
  1. Barlow, R., McNeils, B. and Derrick, A. (1993) Solar pumping: an introduction and update on the technology, performance, costs, and economics. World Bank Technical Paper No. 168. Intermediate Technology Publications and the World Bank, Washington D.C, USA
  2. Brandt, O. (2001) The potential for solar water pumping for community water supply in Zululand, South Africa, Reprt. Department of Geography and Geoinformatics, University of Pretoria, South Africa
  3. Firatoglu, Z. and Yesilata, B. (2004) New approaches on the optimization of directly coupled PV pumping systems. Solar Energy, 77, 81-93
  4. Hammad, M. (1995) Photovoltaic, wind and diesel: a cost comparative study of water pumping options in Jordan. Energy Policy, 23, 723–726
  5. IT Power (1984) Handbook on solar water pumping. Intermediate Technology Power in association with Sir William Halcrow & Partners, UNDP-World Bank project GLO/08/003, Reading and Swindon, UK
  6. Kou, Q., Klein, A. and Beckman, A. (1998) A method for estimating the long-term performance of direct-coupled PV pumping systems. Solar Energy, 64, 33-40
  7. Lasnier, F. and Ang, T. (1990) Photovoltaic Engineering Handbook, Asian Institute of Technology, ICP Publishing Ltd, Bangkok, Thailand
  8. Odeh I., Modelling, Field Data Analysis and Economics of Photovoltaic Water Pumps and the Prospects for integrating Desalination Using Reverse Osmosis. PhD Thesis.University of Ulster, UK. August, 2005
  9. I. Odeh, YG. Yohanis, B. Norton: Economic Viability of Photovoltaic Water Pumping Systems. Solar Energy Journal, 80, 850-860, 2006
  10. Posorski, R. (1996) Photovoltaic water pumps: an attractive tool for rural drinking water supply. Solar Energy, 58, 155-163
  11. Posorski, R. and Haars, K., 1994. The Economics of Photovoltaic Pumping Systems. German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) GmbH, Eschborn, Germany
  12. Short, T. and Oldach, R., 2003. Solar powered water pumps: the past the present-and the future?. Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 125, 76-82
  13. Whitfield, G., Bentley, R. and Burton, J. (1995) Increasing the cost-effectiveness of small solar photovoltaic water pumping system. Renewable Energy, 6, 483-486
  14. World Bank (2002) Water sanitation and hygiene, water for health, world water day, at a glance. Also available at: www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/subenergy/solar/water_pumping (accessed: February, 2005)

Last update:

  1. Adapted hydropower-driven water supply system: assessment of an underground application in an Indonesian karst area

    P. Oberle, M. Ikhwan, D. Stoffel, F. Nestmann. Applied Water Science, 6 (3), 2016. doi: 10.1007/s13201-016-0425-0

  2. Perspectives of solar photovoltaic water pumping for irrigation in India

    Pushpendra Kumar Singh Rathore, Shyam Sunder Das, Durg Singh Chauhan. Energy Strategy Reviews, 22 , 2018. doi: 10.1016/j.esr.2018.10.009

  3. A Commercial Inverter Applying for Solar Pump in Agriculture Plant Case Study in South of Thailand

    Pirapong Limprasitwong, Chaiyapon Thongchaisuratkrul. Proceedings of the 2018 International Conference on Robotics, Control and Automation Engineering, 2018. doi: 10.1145/3303714.3303740

Last update: 2025-06-12 05:47:51

  1. Perspectives of solar photovoltaic water pumping for irrigation in India

    Pushpendra Kumar Singh Rathore, Shyam Sunder Das, Durg Singh Chauhan. Energy Strategy Reviews, 22 , 2018. doi: 10.1016/j.esr.2018.10.009

  2. A Commercial Inverter Applying for Solar Pump in Agriculture Plant Case Study in South of Thailand

    Pirapong Limprasitwong, Chaiyapon Thongchaisuratkrul. Proceedings of the 2018 International Conference on Robotics, Control and Automation Engineering, 2018. doi: 10.1145/3303714.3303740