Economic evaluation of a solar pumping system for water supply to livestock in Cuba

Abstract

In recent years, various solar pumps have been introduced in Cuba to boost the energy and economic performance of several livestock farms in their water supply; their evaluation allows us to determine whether they are viable for these purposes in the country. This work was carried out at the Experimental Station of the Agricultural Engineering Research Institute during 2020, with the objective of determining the economic viability of an animal supply system using the Lorentz PS2-150∙C-SJ5-8 Solar Pump. The methodology consisted of designing the animal supply system, calculating its pumping volume, determining the number of animals it can supply, and evaluating its economics. The results showed a power of 0.30 kWp, a height of 20 m, a flow rate of 1.90 m3/h, and a volume of 11.40 m3/day, which can supply four variants: 42 cows only; or 507 pigs; or 1,267 sheep; and combined: 14 cows, 169 pigs, and 422 sheep. Economically, the most attractive option was the cow-only option, with a benefit-cost ratio [B/C] of 2.85 and a payback time of 0.43 years. It was concluded that, at the Experimental Station, the solar pump can be used solely to supply water to cattle.