Solar irrigation pumps on the rise

Sajjad Hosen Fahim | Published: May 30, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The picture shows a solar irrigation pump — Photo courtesy of the writer

Four bighas of farmland is not small for Md Abbas Uddin, a farmer aged 38 years. The lands are situated at Balughata village of Tetuljhura Union of Savar Upazila in Dhaka. Timely irrigation is crucial for him as half of the farmland is for Boro rice. Rest half is for cultivating corn.
Two years ago, Abbas came to know about solar-based irrigation system. Initially he was shaky as were some others. But now they find it convenient for them.
Nur Hossain and Jalal Uddin, along with some 15 farmers of the same village, use solar power to irrigate a total of 50 bighas of farmland -- 20 bighas for Boro and 30 bighas for vegetables like Radish, Carrot, Bitter gourd, Bottle gourd, Cucumber etc.
It was in June, 2012, when Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Ltd installed solar-based irrigation system. This includes solar panel, pump, pump house, module mounting structure, supply installation & commissioning. Ministry of Agriculture supported the initiative involving Tk 1.5 million.
The pump needs 3.5 KW power for operation and installed solar panel capacity is 6.48 KW. The pump has the capacity to discharge 0.5 million litres of water daily by which 7-8 hectares of lands can be irrigated. Now Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation is operating and marinating this pump.
"Earlier, we used diesel-run pump for irrigation," said Abbas Uddin; but solar pump is cheaper than others." He said that it cost Tk 2,000 per bigha for Boro and Tk 200 for other crops. On the contrary, it cost Tk 4,000-4,500 for diesel-run pump for Boro cultivation. For other crops, cost hovered between Tk 400 and 500.
Not only in Savar, solar pumps have been installed in different areas of Bangladesh including Tangail, Kishoreganj, Mymensingh, Sherpur, Bogra, Gaibandha, Rangpur, Dinajpur ,Panchagarh, Jessore, Magura, Khulna, Sathkhira, Bagherhat, Kushtia, and Chittagong.
Demand for the solar irrigation pump is increasing across the country. It was only five pumps in 2012 and now the number is around 200.
Under the supervision of IDCOL, some 124 solar pumps have been installed. Another 40 pumps have been installed under pilot project of Rural Electrical Board (REB) and 11 under BADC.
Before installing solar irrigation pump, organizations concerned do survey for selecting proper place for installation. The installation process of general electric pump and solar irrigation pump is similar. But solar pump needs solar panel and controller which are not essential for general electric pump. This pump can be used for lifting water from morning to evening.
Prices of solar pump and panel depend on the quantity of lifting capacity. It costs Tk 0.3 to Tk 0.4 million to install a solar irrigation pump. The life-cycle of a solar pump is estimated at 10-15 years and solar panel 25 years.
Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy is one of the pioneers on solar powered irrigation. Working since 2009, the company uses data logger by dint of which real situation of pump can be known automatically. By dint of this, quantity of water, power, sun shines etc can be known automatically.
Sayed Ishtiaque Ahmed, Head of Sales of Rahimafrooz Renewable Energ, said: "We get full time sun hour and soil condition is very suitable. Moreover, increasing diesel cost makes solar irrigation pump feasible day by day. This pump is greatly environment friendly and decreases the maximum effect of ground depletion. In automatic mode; this pump does not need any operator.
Chief Operating Officer of Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Sohel Ahmed said the company has introduced and implemented the experimental model as exemplary to all.
Energy centre of Dhaka University inaugurated activities of solar irrigation system around 2000. This institution always gives technical support to the service provider institutions and users of solar pump. Earlier the technical support was free of cost. Now it charges nominal fee.
Director of Energy and Professor of Renewable Energy Dr Saiful Hoque said that they are unable to provide service providers and users with sufficient technical supports due to lack of manpower. "At the beginning, members of this institution used to go directly to the marginal farmers, which is impossible now," he said.
Dr Hoque also said that this institution has taken a pilot project recently for solar powered irrigation system using domestic technology such as solar panel and solar submersible pump.
Grameen Shakti is also coming ahead for spreading solar pump. The organisation launched activities of installing solar irrigation pump in 1991. This organisation installed 2 pumps, one of the pumps is at Shatpahar, Naogaon. It cost Tk 5.20 million (52 lakh) for installing the pump at Naogoan. Farmers need to pay Tk 400 for Robi crop and Tk 2,200 for Irri rice for per bigha of land.
Regional Manager of Grameen Shakti Md Saiful Islam said that it is very beneficial for service provider organisations if they can use produced water as well as electricity all the year round in alternative ways. This pump can produce 7.5 kilowatt electricity by 11 kilowatt solar panel.
IDCOL targets to install 1,550 pumps by 2017.
Asked about the trend of solar irrigation system Dr Saiful Hoque said access to extension services and technical support will be critical to ensuring the sustainability and long-term functionality of individual Solar Irrigation project. With the proper support, successful widespread adoption of Solar Irrigation project systems could be an important source of poverty alleviation.

The writer is Development Communication Fellow, Centre on Budget and Policy, University of Dhaka