Solar Powered Water Pumps Provide Pure Water for Villagers

A Welsh company that prides itself on offering a one stop shop for renewable energy products and services has sealed a US$1m deal to supply solar powered water pumps to east African country, Djibouti.

Tywyn-based True Energy will be providing a bespoke solution to enable 25 villages to receive clean water for the first time.

As well as designing the pumping system, the company will install the project and provide training so that the villagers can maintain it themselves.

“The problem with many earlier water-pumping projects is that they relied on complicated, diesel-run generators. If diesel became too expensive, or was unavailable, the pumping project failed. What’s more, if the generator broke down, the necessary skills to fix it were rarely available,” explains Phil McVan, True Energy MD.

“The solar-powered system comes with a 25-year guarantee, and is also extremely easy to maintain, thus creating a sustainable water provision set-up. This means that women and children will no longer spend hours each day fetching and carrying water, and their health will also improve significantly. Carrying such heavy loads caused back problems, and the water collected from available sources was contaminated, and waterborne diseases were rampant.”

True Energy counts the United Nations, World Health Organisation, B&Q and South West Water among its clients, and has developed flourishing export markets in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe.

True Energy's renewable technologies include wind turbines, solar photovoltaic (electricity), solar thermal (hot water), biomass, and ground source heat pumps (hot water).

The company also provides consultancy and advice alongside a wide range of innovative products.

“We identified a gap in the market for a company that provides a full range of competency,” says Mr McVan, “Our solar energy based systems, from solar powered street lamps through to solar hot water systems are very well regarded, and our wide experience enables us to provide detailed advice to our customers.”

He is confident that as a result of legislation relating to climate change - much of it Kyoto driven - that renewable energy's time has come and intends to capitalise on the opportunity.

Demand is already on an upward curve.

“The UK is committed to cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent by 2050,” he explained. “Furthermore, over the next two decades, the UK will need substantial new investment in electricity generation capacity to replace closing coal, oil and nuclear power stations and to meet an expected 30 per cent growth in electricity demand.

“Oil now costs $100 per barrel, compared to just $20 a few years ago - a factor that is also steering governments towards sustainable sources of energy.

“Last year the global renewable energy industry was worth $27 billion dollars, and that figure is set to grow substantially,” explains Mr McVan. “We are well placed to capitalise on this burgeoning market as the company already has an excellent international reputation, and is renowned for being able to supply bespoke solutions to clients' energy requirements.”