Solar Water Pumping

Solar water pumping can effectively move water from a remote location or well to the place where it is needed. PIMBY Energy has developed solar water pumping applications for homes and agricultural applications. Moving water with the sun is an elegant and low impact solution.  The PV array in the photo above moves water from this cistern to a second cistern more than 200' uphill and over 900' away.  The water is for a remote off-grid home. 

Factors driving the selection of a solar pumping solution include:

1. Water Demand
2. Solar Availability/Shading
3. Head (distance vertical/horizontal that must be overcome)

Water may be pumped from a deep well or from a pond or cistern. Adding a cistern to one or both ends of the system helps to moderate seasonal variation in the availability of the source. Pumping into a cistern allows for daytime accumulation of water that may then be drawn down during nighttime when the pump is not operating.

Mackey works to prep a Grundfos pump.  This style pump is intended for low-flow high-head applications.  The pump can run on AC or DC power.

This pumping system runs water way up slope to a tank more than 1,000' away.  The pumping system allows for the watering of beef cows in the upper pastures.  The wire trench to the PV array and the water pipe trench are both visible in the background.