First Solar wraps up S Arabia’s 1st solar-powered irrigation system

Jan 27, 2016 13:14 CET by Militsa Mancheva

January 27 – US solar major First Solar Inc (NASDAQ:FSLR) said Tuesday it has installed a 684-kW photovoltaic (PV) array at an agricultural water pumping system at a farm for organic products in Saudi Arabia.

The company and its project partner Al Watania Agriculture Co will use the pilot system to test and study the use of solar power for sustainable irrigation and other developments of the kind. The scheme was jointly funded by the partners, according to the press release.

The Al Watania Organic farm, located in the region of Al Jouf, will use the output of the PV system for groundwater extraction and distribution of about 3,1 million cubic metres each year. This way it will entirely replace the existing diesel generator at the site and thus avoid the use of up to 628,000 litres of diesel annually.

Equipped with First Solar’s thin-film PV modules, the array is estimated to be able to produce 1,476 MWh of electricity per year. This is enough to offset roughly 1,100 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, First Solar calculates.  

The US solar major expects to have installed at least 270 MW of solar capacity by 2017 in the Middle East, the majority of which in Dubai and Jordan.

Share this story

Recommends:

GRDE 10000mAh Dual USB Shockproof Outdoor Solar Power Bank for iPhone 6 Plus, 5S, 5C, 5, 4S, iPod, iPad, HTC, Samsung, Blackberry and GPS, Tablets, Camera – Black
Kindly note the solar panel is only design for emergency, not a primary source of charging. Solar is mianly for topping off the un…

21W 2-Port USB Solar Charger [Anker PowerPort Solar] for iPhone 6 / 6 Plus, iPad Air 2 / mini 3, Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge and More
Anker PowerPort Solar Charge with the power of the sun. From ANKER, America’s Leading USB Charging Brand – Faster and safer char…

Like have 30000mah Dual USB Portable Solar Panel Power Bank
Specifications:
Electric Core Type: Solar Powered
Charging time: About 13 hours
Solar Panel: 1.5W
Input: DC5.0V, 1.0A(Max)
Ou…

Bienna 30000mAh Solar Panel Chargers, External Battery Pack Power Bank,Dual USB Port Portable Charger with 8 LED Flash Light for Cell Phone,Tablet (ismart Technology,Water Resistant,Yellow)
Dual USB Charger Ports
The Power Bank is equipped with two charging ports and can be used for different devices.Compatible with …

Solar Power Bank