Assessment of solar applications for transfer of technology a case of solar pump

For the large and increasing rural population in the developming countries, decentralized solar applications could be relevant. However, new solar technologies being developed in the laboratories presently have to ultimately be acceptable in the field conditions. The conditions which have to be satisfied before the solar applications could be acceptable are discussed. The solar pump is examined in detail in particular due to the interest expressed by many developing countries in this specific application. A comparative techno-economic analysis is carried out for solar pumps and diesel pumps which considered escalation of the diesel price and factors related to climate, geography, locale, social and institutional environment for two types of uses namely for drinking water and for irrigation. It seems unlikely that a solar pump could compete with the diesel engine before the costs are brought down by a factor of 20–50 for irrigation purposes. However, for obtaining the drinking water the cost reduction required is by a factor less than 10 than currently charged for the prototypes. Although specific example of India is taken the matters are relevant to most developing countries. The issues discussed for the case of a solar pump are also relevant to other solar applications used only for seasonal purposes since the capital costs are high and operating diesel pumps during the season would be cheaper for several decades