Around the world nowadays there are more than 15,000 solar powered bore and surface water pumps in use. These are extensively used at farms and outback stations to supply surface and bore sourced water to livestock’s and irrigation.

In today’s developing nations these are extensively used to draw water from rivers and wells to towns and villages for household consumption and irrigation of forms and gardens. Once upon a time it was a very costly technology; now prices have come down in recent years and may further go down by government rebates and also by Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).

A solar powered pumping system of typical type consisting of a solar panel array powers an electric bore or surface pump. The water is then pumped from the ground, well or river into a storage tank which provides a gravity feed, consequently energy storage is not required for these structures. Solar also called Photovoltaic (PV) powered pumping systems now are a low cost substitute to rural wind turbines for the remote vicinity water supply.

These systems are largely used to pump/ draw water for humans, livestock or plants. In view of the fact that the need for water is most on hot Sunny days/season this technology is a must choice for this need. Pumping water from using PV technology is reliable, simple and does not require almost any maintenance.

Solar powered water drawing/pumping system is same like any other pumping system; just the source of power is solar energy. PV/ solar pumping systems do have, at least a PV array/ panel, a motor, along with a bore pump. Solar pumping arrays are fixedly mounted otherwise placed on passive trackers (these use no motors) to raise pumping volume and time. DC and AC motors with displacement or centrifugal pumps are used.