Reliability, cost, and performance of PV-powered water pumping systems: A survey for electric utilities

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/60.257066· OSTI ID:5532538

Stokes, K ^[1]; Bigger, J ^[2]

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1. NEOS Corp., Lakewood, CO (United States)
2. Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

Opportunities for electric utilities to utilize photovoltaic-powered systems to serve small utility and customer-owned loads have been documented by the Electric Power Research Institute and others. One application where PV-powered systems can save money for utilities and their customers is remote water pumping for ranch, farm, and domestic use. Information on system reliability, cost, and performance is key to utility management decisions regarding this alternative approach to serving their customers. A project was initiated by EPRI to obtain this information on PV-powered pumping systems installed in the western US. With assistance from three PV-pumping system suppliers, a survey was developed and mailed to 251 owners of PV-powered water pumping systems installed in the last five years. This paper presents the summary of the findings of that survey and includes information on owner preferences, system reliability and performance, and cost data.

• OSTI ID: 5532538
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 8:3; ISSN 0885-8969
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
SOLAR WATER PUMPS
COST
PERFORMANCE
RELIABILITY
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
HUMAN FACTORS
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
POWER SUPPLIES
PUMPS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
WATER PUMPS
140600* - Solar Energy- Photovoltaic Power Systems
240100 - Power Systems- (1990-)