Photovoltaic systems for rural communities in Indonesia

The problems associated with the need to supply clean, safe drinking water to small rural communities are prevalent in Indonesia. Early in 1986 plans were set in motion to demonstrate solar water treatment technology aimed directly at the needs of rural communities in Indonesia. Kedung, a village in West Java, 65 miles from Jakarta was chosen as being typical both in size and location of villages in Indonesia that could benefit from a PV powered water treatment system. The water treatment system comprises a unique method of slow sand filtration of water supplied by a solar powered pump, designed to provide the necessary head of water where none naturally exists and where conventional power supplies are totally nonexistent. The author describes the solar pump system including the solar array, power conditioning equipment, the pump and the motor. The author then describes the water treatment system and how it operates