Feasibility of solar pump for sustainable irrigation in Bangladesh

A base-line survey was conducted in 2010 at different locations of Bangladesh to know the present status of solar pumps. The respondents were solar pump users, suppliers and service providers. There were about 150 solar pumps in Bangladesh, among them 65 % were used for supplying drinking water to the poor people of the locality and about 35 % solar pumps were used for irrigation purposes. The size of solar pumps varied from 300 to 1,190 W-p and discharge capacity varied from 2,000 to 800,000 L/day. Panel cost was the major cost (45 %) in solar pump followed by the costs of installation (18 %), motor (16 %), pump (10 %), and pipes and fittings (4 %). Life cycle cost of diesel engine-operated pump was lower up to 5 years. After 5 years, the life cycle cost of solar pump became lower than that of diesel engine-operated pump. Benefit cost ratio, net present value and internal rate of return of solar pump were found higher than diesel-operated pump. Therefore, solar pump is profitable and investment on solar pump is more risk free than diesel engine-operated pump. Diesel engine-operated irrigation pump emits carbon dioxide and pollutes environment, but solar pump is an environment-friendly irrigation technology.