Situated at the heart of the water-food-energy nexus, solar water pumps play a critical role in improving the incomes and resilience of farming households, while delivering benefits for the climate and environment.

In the marketplace, however, developing a high-quality, affordable water pump able to perform under a wide range of geographic and environmental conditions remains a large challenge for the industry. Manufacturers face a tradeoff between supplying a more durable pump at a high cost and developing a more affordable pump that may require more maintenance and operational expenditures over time. At the same time, buyers and distributors looking to supply quality solar water pumps have limited access to quality data about the performance and durability of pumps available on the market.

To fill important knowledge gaps, Efficiency for Access and the Schatz Energy Research Center have published a memo that shares key data from Global LEAP Awards laboratory testing and interviews with industry experts. The memo describes test methods for assessing solar water pump durability in a laboratory setting and highlights a number of steps that manufacturers and distributors can take to improve pump system durability.

The memo also identifies opportunities for how to improve existing test methods and future quality assurance efforts. Market research that assesses the return on investment of a pump over its expected lifespan and typical loan period can, for example, help determine the appropriate financing mechanisms that make high-quality, durable pumps more affordable to consumers.

Read the full memo to learn more about what is needed to improve the durability of solar water pumps.