Solar Irrigation Kits In Kenya
Grekkon Limited’s solar irrigation kits in Kenya utilise soalr energy as the primary power source to pump water, and distribute it in the farm. Our solar irrigation kits are a clean energy technology that reduces greenhouse emissions. They substitute fossil fuels as an energy source. The company supplies and installs these kits within the east Africa region mainly for smallholder farmers
A Grekkon solar submersible water pump for smallholder farmers
Solar Irrigation Kits In Kenya
Components
- A water source. This will be a deep or shallow well, a dug out or natural water reservoir, a river, lake or a an artificial water storage unit
- Mounting structure for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels
- A solar pump. This will be either a submersible solar electric water pump (ideal for wells), or a surface solar water pump. The pump will be fixed or portable depending on the size
- A solar water pump controller
- The irrigation system. Most solar powered irrigation systems have the drip irrigation kit as the watering component. This is because it operates under low volume, low pressure. However, some farmers opt also for the rain hose irrigation kit depending on the crop type, available water volume, and the pumping pressure. The rain hose kit works best at high water volume, under high pressure
Components of a solar irrigation kit
Solar Irrigation Kits In Kenya
How they work
- Electricity to run the solar water pump is generated by solar PV panels. They absorb the sun’s energy converting it to direct current (DC) electical energy
- This DC energy flows into an inverter/ controller which converts it to alternating current (AC) electrical energy
- The AC power is channeled to the motor, which runs the pump
- The pump distributes water to the irrigation system
The number of panels used depends on the motor size. The larger it is, the higher the number of PV panels required
A farmer will opt to irrigate by pumping directly to the irrigation system, or to an elevated storage unit, from which the water flows to the irrigation system by gravity
Solar Irrigation Kits In Kenya
Benefits
i. It allows for water pumping in electricity off-grid locations by generating its own solar electric power
ii. It reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases as it does not run on fossil fuels
iii. Farmers produce all your round so long as irrigation water is available
iv. It has near zero maintainance and operating costs, as there’s no drudgery during irrigation
v. There are no opertional costs unlike fossil fuel powered water pumps that require diesel or petrol purchases to run
Solar Irrigation Kit Price In Kenya
Drip Irrigation Kit
| Acreage | Price (Kes) |
| 0.25 | 105,000 |
| 0.5 | 145,000 |
| 1 | 230,000 |
A Grekkon surface solar water pump for irrigation
2. Rain hose kit
| Acreage | Price (Kes) |
| 0.25 | 85,000 |
| 0.5 | 110,000 |
| 1 | 145,000 |
Solar Irrigation Kits In Kenya
FAQs
1. What is a solar power irrigation system?
It is a unit composed of a solar pump, and an irrigation kit
2. Do solar panels work at night?
No they don’t. However, a farmer can choose to set up a battery to store power during the day, to power the irrigation system at night
3. Do solar panels work in the rain?
They work optimally under clear skies. Their efficiency is dramatically reduced with heavy cloud cover
4. How many solar panels does it take to run a water pump?
It depnds on the size of the motor attached to the solar pump. The greater it is, the higher the number of solar panels required
5. What is the weakness of a solar pump?
They do not work if there is no solar energy provision
6. What solar pump is best for agriculture?
Grekkon limited has the best solar powered water pumps for agriculture because they are designed for small, and medium holder farmers in Africa who constitute about 87% of the farmeing community on the continent
7. How long do solar water pumps last?
For more than 20 years with regular servicing
8. Does a solar water pump need a battery?
No. It will work with the current received directly from the solar panels
9. How deep can a solar pump work?
It depends on the head of the submersible solar pump. Some work in wells as deep as 500M
10. Do you need an inverter with solar panels?
Yes if the pump uses AC current. The inverter will convert the DC to AC. However, a DC pump will not require an inverter
Fossil fuel powered water pumps carbon emissions calculation
The downside of fossil fuel powered water pumps is CO2 emissions, which contribute to global warming, the chief reason for negative climate change being experienced today. To calculate the quantity of CO2 emission from a diesel water pump, multiply the fuel usage in litres by a factor of 2.67. For example; a pump that consumes 100 litres of diesel per month emits 267kgs of CO2 emissions monthly. To calculate the quantity of CO2 emission from a petrol water pump, multiply the fuel usage in litres by a factor of 2.3035. For example; a pump that consumes 100 litres of petrol per month emits 230.35 kgs of CO2 emissions monthly.
Solar Water Pumps For Agriculture
Grekkon Limited’s solar water pumps for agriculture have different specifications in pressure rating (head), flow rate, and the motor size (Megawatts). Our solar water pumps for irrigation in Kenya range from small portable to large immobile units. The choice of a farmer’s solar water pump is a factor of acreage because, the area under irrigation determines the water use Our solar water pumps prices are tailored to the well’s depth, yield and head. These solar pump’s costs range from as low as Kes 37,000 to over Kes 1,500,000. For instance, a farmer with a 6M shallow well yielding 0.5 cubic litres an hour will work with a basic solar water pump. Another grower with a deep well of 280M, and a yield of 15 cubic litres per hour will have a large pump installed
A simple to assemble solar submersible water pump kit for shallow wells
Types Of Solar Water Pumps For Agriculture
1. Submersible water pumps
These are the most common ones with farmers installing them in deep or shallow wells. They are also done in rivers and pools. They work when fully immersed in water. Stainless steel submersible solar water pumps are common in every well. There is a more efficient and affordable plastic version. This is for rivers, pools, and water tanks. It works with the same principle as the stainless steel one
Submersible solar water pumps for agriculture prices
Our solar water pumps prices range from as low as Kes 38,000 for small portable units, to over Kes 2,000,000 for large types. The former have a low head, and low water flow rate. The latter is for very deep wells and with lots of water
A graphic illustration of a stainless steel solar submersible water pump in a well installation
A plastic submersible solar water pump designed for rivers. pools and tanks
To recommend and price your right submersible solar water pump, a test pumping report is required. It will show; the well depth, the dynamic head, the static water level, and the pump placement level is necessary. Where such is lacking, then a float switch attached to the water pump is necessary. It ensures that it only works when submerged in water. The motor is damaged when the water pump runs ‘dry’
2. Surface solar water pumps
These solar surface water pumps work without any external contact with water unlike their submersible type counterparts. They are easily portable unless it’s too large to move about.
A solar surface water pump
3. Direct current (DC) water pumps
These are purely solar water pumps that work under a DC current. They will not require an inverter, unless a farmer chooses to install one. This is to modify it to use an alternating current (AC)
4. Alternating current water pumps
These are purely electric water pumps that work under an AC current. To convert it to a solar water pump, an inverter converts the DC to AC. The DC is from the solar panels
A illustration of a solar water pump inverter showing how it connects the entire system
Submersible solar water pump prices in Kenya
Solar water pump for irrigation prices (submersibles for shallow, low volume wells below 100M)
| Model No | Power (Hp) | Watts | No & Panel Size | Head (M) | Flow rate (liters/ hour) | Price in Kes |
| SP 0.5N | 0.6 | 700 | 300W x 1pc | 40M | 5,800 | 37,120 |
| SP 0.6N | 0.8 | 1,200 | 300W x 2pcs | 60M | 5,800 | 40,215 |
| SP 0.8N | 1.1 | 1,300 | 300W x 3pcs | 70M | 5,800 | 46,400 |
| SP 1.0N | 1.3 | 1,400 | 300W x 3pcs | 80M | 5,800 | 52,600 |
For solar submersible water pumps for deep well below 80M, we provided tailored units based on the test pumping results of the borehole
Solar-powered water pumps FAQs
I. How much is solar water pump in Kenya?
The solar water pump price depends on the features listed above; power rating, head, and flow rate. It can be a low-cost solar water pump that costs Kes 15,000, and or a borehole solar water pump as much as Kes 1,500,000
Solar pump prices are varied according to this
II. How much is a solar panel in Kenya?
Our price is Kes 50 per watt
III. What is a DC water pump?
A direct current water pump is one that uses a direct current from a solar panel or battery to push irrigation water
IV. Do you sell any portable solar water pump in Kenya?
Yes our shallow well solar water pumps are portable
V. Is it a low-volume high-pressure water pump?
Not all. Some of our submersible solar water pumps are high volume high-pressure water pumps. They have a high water flow rate. Most are high volume high-pressure pumps with a high water flow rate
VI. What is the best solar-powered water pump?
It depends on the individual’s use
VII. How does a solar pump work?
Solar energy from the sun is received on the panels. This energy as a direct current is fed to the motor to pump out the water
VIII. Do solar pumps work at night?
No, they don’t, unless powered by an external battery
IX. Which solar pump is the best?
To determine the most appropriate submersible solar water pump for a client, the following information will be provided
- Depth of the well or borehole
- The water level in the well or borehole
- Water requirement or use per day
X. What are the disadvantages of solar water pumping?
- The initial set up cost is expensive
- If placed in an insecure location, the risk of theft is high
- It does not pump at night or when it gets very cloudy
XI. Can I connect a pump directly to a solar panel?
No you cannot because all connections origination from the panel or the pump has to go through the control unit
Water Pumps In Kenya
Water pumps in Kenya by Grekkon Limited are varied for different purposes. This provides a wide choice to select from for growers according to irrigation use. Below are water pumps by Grekkon Limited
Water pumps in Kenya
Categorisation
1. By displacement
1.1. Centrifugal pumps work through centrifugal force to drive water that enters the impeller. They use the rotational energy from the spinning impeller to produce hydrodynamic energy
1.2. Positive displacement water pumps use a piston, a diaphragm, or a rotating cog or gear to mechanically move a fixed volume of water through the pump chamber
An electric centrifugal water pump
2. By Location
2.1. Surface pumps suck water through an inlet pipe, then pump it out from an outlet pipe. They are set horizontally on dry surface. Theses are; electric surface pumps including booster pumps, solar surface pumps, diesel and petrol generator water pumps
A diesel water pump
2.2. Submersible water pumps work under water in wells. The size and power depends on the well depth, and discharge rate. They are either solar or electric powered
A submersible solar water pump
3. By power output
3.1. Electric motor powered pumps are either electric (AC current), or solar (DC current) water pumps
An electric surface pump
3.2. Generator powered water pumps are either diesel or petrol types. These are available as high pressure, high volume, low pressure and low volume
A petrol water pump
Water Pumps In Kenya
What To Consider When Buying Your Water Pump
1. The head/ pressure rating
This is the vertical pumping distance in meters or bars. The higher it is, the higher the pressure needed, and the more powerful is the engine or motor. Fuel engine (generator) or electric motor power is horse power (Hp), or in Kilowatts (kW) for the latter
2. The flow rate
This is the amount of water pumped evacuated per unit time. It is in litres per minute or per hour. The higher it is, the larger the water pump inlet and outlet size
For agricultural use, PVC or HDPE water pipes are connected to these pumps. The pipes evacuate water to the crops
3. The power rating
The motor or engine size provided in kilowatts (kW) for the former, and in horse power (Hp) for the latter determines the water pump’s efficiency. The larger the flow rate and the discharge, so will the engine or motor be
Solar Water Pump Prices
Solar water pump prices in Kenya by Grekkon Limited are provided based on the pump specs. Our submersible solar water pumps for sale in Kenya are categorised as;
- Motor size. This is given in kilo watts (kW) or horse power (Hp). The motor operates on direct current (DC) generated by the solar panels, or from a battery. The larger the motor size, the more the power a motor consumes, and provides to the pump
- Head. This is the pressure rating provided in meters (M) or bar. It determines how far vertically that pump will push water. The higher the pressure rating, the higher the push. Deep wells use higher pressure rated submersible solar pumps than shallow wells
- Flow rate. It is the volume of water evacuated over a given time unit. This is given as litres per second, or per minute, or as cubic litres per hour. This determines the size of the outlet pipe. A pump that evacuates more water has a larger outlet
Smaller domestic water pumps are portable solar water pumps. It is easy to move them from one shallow well to another. This is not the case for large, permanent, deep well solar water pumps
Solar Water Pump Prices In Kenya
| Model No | Power Hp | Watts | No & Panel Size | Head (M) | Flow rate (liters/ hour) | Price in Kes |
| SP 0.5N | 0.6 | 700 | 300W x 1pc | 40M | 5,800 | 37,120 |
| SP 0.6N | 0.8 | 1,200 | 300W x 2pcs | 60M | 5,800 | 40,215 |
| SP 0.8N | 1.1 | 1,300 | 300W x 3pcs | 70M | 5,800 | 46,400 |
| SP 1.0N | 1.3 | 1,400 | 300W x 3pcs | 80M | 5,800 | 52,600 |
The prices shown above are for solar water pumps for wells less than 100M. Beyond this, we provide specific pumps that match the borehole’s water specs. We install submersible solar water pumps across east Africa for all well sizes. Before an installation is made, a well analysis is conducted to ensure the right solar submersible water pump is provided.
Submersible Water Pump Prices
Our submersible water pump prices in Kenya are for 2 types of submersible water pumps. Solar water pumps, and electric water pumps. Solar water pumps are powered by sunlight and are ideal for off-grid electricity locations. Electric water pumps are connected to the power grid. Grekkon Limited installs both pump types across east Africa
Similarities Between Solar, and Electric Submersible Pumps
- they both work under water
- each has an electric motor to power it
- they both use an electric current
Difference Between Solar, and Electric Submersible Water Pumps
- solar pumps use direct current (DC), electric pumps use alternating current
- electric pumps motors are further categorised as single or 3 phase. This does not apply to solar pumps
- with an inverter to change current from DC to AC, an electric pump’s motor will run on solar panels
- solar pumps are more expensive for the same specs as electric pumps
- solar pumps will require denser cables for the same specs as electric pumps
- electric pumps are more expensive in the long-term because of power bills. The running cost of a solar pumps is negligible
- some smaller solar pumps can be battery powered directly in the absence of sunlight
1. Solar water pump prices in Kenya
| Model No | Power Hp | Watts | No & Panel Size | Head (M) | Flow rate (liters/ hour) | Price in Kes |
| SP 0.5N | 0.6 | 700 | 300W x 1pc | 40M | 5,800 | 37,120 |
| SP 0.6N | 0.8 | 1,200 | 300W x 2pcs | 60M | 5,800 | 40,215 |
| SP 0.8N | 1.1 | 1,300 | 300W x 3pcs | 70M | 5,800 | 46,400 |
| SP 1.0N | 1.3 | 1,400 | 300W x 3pcs | 80M | 5,800 | 52,600 |
Additional costs to the solar water pumps is that of panels, and cabling. For deeper wells, specific borehole water pumps are quoted for according to the borehole water specs
2. Electric submersible water pump prices in Kenya
| Model No | Power Hp | Head (M) | Flow rate (liters/ hour) | Price in Kes |
| DW 1050 | 0.5 | 34 | 3,000 | 18,000 |
| DW 1100 | 1 | 67 | 2,500 | 20,800 |
| DW 1150 | 1.5 | 81 | 3,000 | 27,900 |
| DW 2,000 | 2 | 108 | 3,000 | 35,000 |
| SBH 1,050 | 0.5 | 54 | 3,000 | 23,000 |
| SBH 1,100 | 1 | 95 | 2,500 | 25,000 |
| SBH 1500 | 1.5 | 128 | 4,500 | 36,500 |
| SBH 2,000 | 2 | 168 | 4,500 | 43,800 |
| SBH 3,000 | 3 | 237 | 4,500 | 56,500 |
| SBH 4,000 | 4 | 270 | 4,500 | 70,000 |
| SBH 4,000-3 | 4 | 304 | 4,500 | 82,200 |
Solar Pump Prices In Kenya
Grekkon Limited’s solar pump prices in Kenya for shallow wells and boreholes are determined from test pumping results. Being a top solar water pump suppliers in Kenya, every pump is unique. This is in it’s power rating, head, and flow rate. Our solar water pumps for agriculture under irrigation are available in our branches countrywide.
- Power rating. This is the motor kilowatts (kW) or horsepower (Hp)
- Head. This is the maximum vertical height the solar water pump will push water. It is inversely related to the flow rate
- Flow rate. The amount of water the water pump evacuates per given time. This is indicated as; per second, minute, or hour
Solar Pump Prices in Kenya Tabulation
Below is the cost of solar pump prices in Kenya. For shallow wells (less than 80M deep), with low flow rates (less than 6 liters cubic per hour).
| Model No | Power Hp | Watts | No & Panel Size | Head (M) | Flow rate (liters/ hour) | Price in Kes |
| SP 0.5N | 0.6 | 700 | 300W x 1pc | 40M | 5,800 | 37,120 |
| SP 0.6N | 0.8 | 1,200 | 300W x 2pcs | 60M | 5,800 | 40,215 |
| SP 0.8N | 1.1 | 1,300 | 300W x 3pcs | 70M | 5,800 | 46,400 |
| SP 1.0N | 1.3 | 1,400 | 300W x 3pcs | 80M | 5,800 | 52,600 |
A borehole solar water pump in Kenya’s price is from the test pumping results.
Every solar water pump in Kenya by our technical team is aligned to the power wattage, and water level. This ensures efficiency and maximum longevity. We provide a one year warranty with each pump, and a detailed operational manual.
Our submersible DC solar pumps work with photo-voltaic cells solar panels for both deep well, and shallow wells. Each solar cell has two or more specially prepared layers of semiconductor material that produce direct current (DC) electricity. This DC current is collected by the wiring in the panel. It is then supplied either to a DC pump, which in turn pumps water. Photovoltaic (PV) systems have a high input cost. It has many features which make it attractive as an alternative source of power. It is clean, as it produces no carbon emission. There is no noise generation, and it has low operational and maintenance cost