Will solar powered water pumps soon solve the problems with water supply that people living in Delhi and the surrounding regions often face? It sure seems like that, especially after India's first Renewable Energy Assisted Pump (REAP) system was installed in Mayur Vihar phase 1 recently. The pump, installed on land owned by the office of All India Panchayat, will store water in giant tanks, and pump it out as per requirement of citizens living in both urban and rural regions.

REAP, designed by a third party manufacturer of solar energy equipment in collaboration of IIT Delhi, is essentially a submersible pump, which can be easily installed by a team of technicians. The pump is equipped with a specially designed powerful motor that is operated using electricity generated by solar modules. The pump can draw approximately thirty thousand liters of water per hour, making it suitable for supplying water to households in quite a large area.

Ms Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi, who inaugurated the pump, was all praise about the usefulness and eco-friendliness of the entire setup. She stated that REAP would go a long way in reducing the consumption of electricity during the peak hours in the morning, when most homeowners turn on their water pumps to fill up the reservoirs in their homes. She also pointed out that the system will go a long way in reducing the dependence of the nation's citizens on fossil fuel-powered pumps. This would in turn help in reducing the long term adverse effects of greenhouse gases and global warming. She added that the technology can be successfully employed in “agriculture, hospitals, schools, hotels, malls and especially in group housing societies”.

One thing is for sure – using this type of setups powered by solar modules on a large scale is probably the only way of securing India against the impending energy crisis that is sure to hit the nation in less than 50 years. If we are to ensure our future generation does not have to suffer from astronomically high prices of energy, then we have to do something about it... and the time to do that is right now!