That's the question Greenpeace is asking innovators/designers/business leaders across the world. In fact, they have created a challenge/contest where they invite everyone to design an (relatively) inexpensive irrigation pump that can be powered by renewable energy. You can find the press release for this contest here and the details of the contest here.
Frankly, it's not that difficult to power an irrigation pump using renewable energy technologies. Solar pumps (that can also be powered using wind turbines) already exist, but they may not be inexpensive and the capacity of solar modules/wind turbines required to run them maybe quite high (and hence expensive).
The need of the hour is to design a simple and inexpensive water pump that can run on DC power, which can be supplied using low-wattage solar modules/wind turbines/micro hydro turbines or even small bio-gas/bio-mass power plants. All these renewable energy sources are abundantly available near most farmlands and the pump should be able to run using any of them.
If someone can design such a pump, powered by low-cost renewable energy technologies, we may very well see another green revolution in our country. Are you ready for the challenge? If so, put on your thinking cap and come up with the most optimum solution today. Who knows, you might be called 'The Father/Mother of New-Age Green Revolution' tomorrow!!
For further details, refer to the GREENPEACE Challenge website.
For further details, refer to the GREENPEACE Challenge website.
