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Power - Photovoltaic - Water pumping - 1.9 kW - Off-grid / Morocco
Case study assignment
A government agency in Morocco has hired you to assess the financial feasibility of installing a photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system to meet the drinking water and livestock watering needs of a remote rural community in the province of El Kelaa des Sraghna.
Site information
The site is at the village of Oulad Haj Mbarek near Marrakech, which is also the nearest station for weather data. An extension of the Marrakech electric grid to the village is considered cost-prohibitive, especially in view of the village's low electricity demand. Diesel-powered water pumps are commonly used in such applications elsewhere in Morocco.
The projected population of the village in the year 2010 will be 487 people and the number of livestock, mostly cows, will be 166. The water source is a well with water at a depth of 18 m. The water is to be pumped to an elevated tank at a height of 3 m. The expected drawdown of the well is only 1 m. It is proposed that monocrystalline PV modules, each rated at 70 Wp, be used for the project.
Financial information
The appropriate PV modules are available in Marrakech at a cost of about US$5,000 per kWp. The rate of inflation in Morocco is 2% and the project life is expected to be 20 years. The government will pay for the system so no debt financing is required. The discount rate can be assumed to be 9%. The current price of diesel is US$0.26/L and is expected to increase at an annual rate of 4%.
Prepare a RETScreen study, documenting any assumptions that you are required to make, and report on the significant conclusions from the analysis. Also, determine how much diesel fuel prices would have to be for the project to yield an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 10%.
Solution
The worked-out solution is the data file selected from within the RETScreen Project Database. The user automatically downloads the Project Database file while downloading the RETScreen software.
Teacher's notes
Results
A 768 Wp photovoltaic (PV) community water pumping system was installed in the village of Oulad Haj Mbarek in El Kelaa des Sraghna, Morocco, in 1984. The system has successfully served the drinking water and livestock watering needs of the village. However, the village's human and livestock populations have increased significantly and the demand for water now exceeds the capacity of the original PV pumping system. The old PV system has therefore recently been replaced by a new larger system of 1.89 kWp nominal capacity.
The extension of the electric grid to the village was considered cost-prohibitive and the use of wind energy for water pumping was ruled out because of the poor wind regime at the location.
System description
The new PV water pumping system consists of a 1.89 kWp PV array on a fixed support structure, a submersible pump and two cylindrical water storage tanks. The array is made up of 27 monocrystalline modules, each rated at 70 Wp. The water is pumped from the well into the storage tanks, from where it is distributed to the village and to livestock watering stations. The system is designed to supply water for about 500 people and 170 cows.
Lessons learned
PV water pumping systems are well suited to remote locations with good solar insolation and are used to supply water for drinking, household use, livestock watering, small irrigation systems and other needs. One of the biggest markets for PV water pumping systems is in developing countries, where over 50,000 such systems have been installed. The financial viability of PV water pumping systems is particularly favourable where conventional fuels are expensive or unavailable and where conventional technologies such as diesel pumps are difficult to maintain.
Photo
Water pumping - Photovoltaic, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Morocco
References
Case study assignment
A government agency in Morocco has hired you to assess the financial feasibility of installing a photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system to meet the drinking water and livestock watering needs of a remote rural community in the province of El Kelaa des Sraghna.
Site information
The site is at the village of Oulad Haj Mbarek near Marrakech, which is also the nearest station for weather data. An extension of the Marrakech electric grid to the village is considered cost-prohibitive, especially in view of the village's low electricity demand. Diesel-powered water pumps are commonly used in such applications elsewhere in Morocco.
The projected population of the village in the year 2010 will be 487 people and the number of livestock, mostly cows, will be 166. The water source is a well with water at a depth of 18 m. The water is to be pumped to an elevated tank at a height of 3 m. The expected drawdown of the well is only 1 m. It is proposed that monocrystalline PV modules, each rated at 70 Wp, be used for the project.
Financial information
The appropriate PV modules are available in Marrakech at a cost of about US$5,000 per kWp. The rate of inflation in Morocco is 2% and the project life is expected to be 20 years. The government will pay for the system so no debt financing is required. The discount rate can be assumed to be 9%. The current price of diesel is US$0.26/L and is expected to increase at an annual rate of 4%.
Prepare a RETScreen study, documenting any assumptions that you are required to make, and report on the significant conclusions from the analysis. Also, determine how much diesel fuel prices would have to be for the project to yield an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 10%.
Solution
The worked-out solution is the data file selected from within the RETScreen Project Database. The user automatically downloads the Project Database file while downloading the RETScreen software.
Teacher's notes
- The relatively high cost of the reservoir and the distribution system ("Pipes/reservoir") is due to the fact that it holds drinking water and thus needs to be of appropriate quality.
- The transportation cost shown under "Balance of Equipment" combines transportation for all components, including the photovoltaic (PV) modules, from Marrakech to the village site.
- Using the "Goal Seek" function on the RETScreen Toolbar, the cost of diesel fuel would have to rise from US$0.26/L to US$0.73/L for the project to yield an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 10%.
Results
A 768 Wp photovoltaic (PV) community water pumping system was installed in the village of Oulad Haj Mbarek in El Kelaa des Sraghna, Morocco, in 1984. The system has successfully served the drinking water and livestock watering needs of the village. However, the village's human and livestock populations have increased significantly and the demand for water now exceeds the capacity of the original PV pumping system. The old PV system has therefore recently been replaced by a new larger system of 1.89 kWp nominal capacity.
The extension of the electric grid to the village was considered cost-prohibitive and the use of wind energy for water pumping was ruled out because of the poor wind regime at the location.
System description
The new PV water pumping system consists of a 1.89 kWp PV array on a fixed support structure, a submersible pump and two cylindrical water storage tanks. The array is made up of 27 monocrystalline modules, each rated at 70 Wp. The water is pumped from the well into the storage tanks, from where it is distributed to the village and to livestock watering stations. The system is designed to supply water for about 500 people and 170 cows.
Lessons learned
- A PV water pumping system in a rural community can function reliably over many years.
- PV water pumping systems are most appropriate for low to moderate pumping rates and high-value applications such as drinking water, horticulture, floriculture, etc. For larger water requirements, diesel pumps are often more financially viable at current fuel prices.
- PV water pumping systems do not require energy storage in batteries since water can be easily stored in tanks from which it can be distributed by gravity feed whenever it is needed.
PV water pumping systems are well suited to remote locations with good solar insolation and are used to supply water for drinking, household use, livestock watering, small irrigation systems and other needs. One of the biggest markets for PV water pumping systems is in developing countries, where over 50,000 such systems have been installed. The financial viability of PV water pumping systems is particularly favourable where conventional fuels are expensive or unavailable and where conventional technologies such as diesel pumps are difficult to maintain.
Photo
Water pumping - Photovoltaic, El Kelaa des Sraghna, Morocco
References
- Mustapha Ait Lhaimair, "Personal communication," Resing, Morocco, 2002.
- Parthan, Binu K., "Personal communication," IT Power India, 2002.
- The World Bank Group, Rural and Renewable Energy page, Website: http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/subenergy/solar/solar_pv.htm.
