Sustainable Conversion of Diesel run Shallow Pump to Solar run Shallow Pump

The agriculture sector of Bangladesh is a potential sector to implement sustainable energy initiatives. It is a promising sector where out of 11 million hectares of land under rice production, modern boro rice alone covers about 4.70 million hectares and nearly 98% of this area requires irrigation. The present demand of 33 million electricity operated irrigation pumps is about 1694 MW. However, power shortage and low voltage affecting irrigation from the electricity operated pumps causing lower production of crops. On the other hand, there are about 1.2 Million diesel operated pumps requiring 800 Million liter imported diesel per year. Considering the energy crisis of the country and increasing price of petroleum products across the globe, it is important to explore alternative energy sources for irrigation to ensure both food and energy security. In this context, the sustainable conversion of diesel run shallow pump to solar run shallow pump has tremendous potential especially to decrease the dependence on diesel, an expensive liquid fuel. Solar E Technology has already developed a prototype system and dedicatedly doing R & D exercise to improve its performance and cost effectiveness.