Simple, low-cost solar pumping is now a reality

A breakthrough has been achieved in making small solar pumps affordable and easy to set up and use by small farmers in Africa. Numerous off-the-shelf pumps running on direct current were tested when connected directly to a single solar panel, without any battery or additional electronics. Of the many pump models tested, two were found to meet our criteria for low-cost solar pumping for small-scale irrigation. These pumps have been successfully operating in Cameroon, Chad, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Canada since 2014. We present information on the components, cost and performance of these pumps for small-scale irrigation.