Can Indian farmers be lucky enough to receive enough water for irrigation, appropriate sunlight for their crops and weather proof energy even during cloudy days in just one device? Solar-powered pumps are here to liberate thousands of farmers in Karnataka from a long-standing grid dependence.
Widely popular as ‘pumps of plenty’, these solar water pumps use solar energy to irrigate fields. These pumps are nothing short of a blessing to the agrarian Indian economy. This is why the Indian government has already proposed the deployment of 100, 000 such pumps, through programs undertaken by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, as well as the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
These solar-powered pumps are large enough to water crops in an effective manner and can harvest solar energy even during cloudy days or at daybreak. Weak solar radiation does not limit the usage of these pumps. They are equipped with ABB’s ACS355 drive which maintains the flow of electricity despite varying sunlight. ABB has played a key role in Solar Impulse 2’s flight around the world without using a single drop of fossil fuel. Farmers have welcomed the revolutionary innovation as it allows them to water their fields whenever they wish to. Moreover, the pumps are a perfect answer to the acute power crisis which affects most parts of India.
The pumps are being viewed as a landmark innovation in terms energy conservation. They give a much needed impetus to our efforts aimed at executing a smooth shift from non-renewable resources to renewable resources. The pumps are not popular only in India and other countries like Sudan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Yemen, and South Africa have also given special focus to installation of these pumps.
As the Solar Impulse 2 flies past India, giving us glimpses of what solar energy could achieve in future, solar power based pumps act as an example of how the solar revolution can change lives forever and for better. These pumps will be instrumental in increasing crop yield and improving a farmer’s standard of living. Above everything else, they will free farmers from power grid dependency and reduce emissions at the same time.
