I’ve recently returned from a trip to Bangladesh, as part of a promising research project led by Birmingham City University and Bangladesh Agricultural University looking at the opportunities created by replacing diesel-powered irrigation pumps with solar-powered electric ones.
Why does this matter? Farmers in Bangladesh currently use around 2 million diesel pumps for irrigation, which are costly for the farmers to run, and they pollute the environment. Solar power offers a cleaner, and (in the long run) cheaper alternative. But it’s not just about swapping one pump for another — it’s a chance to rethink the energy ecosystem around farming.
A specific challenge we’re exploring is how might we use surplus solar energy when the pumps aren’t running? Could it power machines to process the crops? Refrigerate produce? Power a local business or school? This opens up exciting possibilities for local entrepreneurship and resilience.
The Bangladesh government has set ambitious targets to replace the diesel pumps with solar, and is working with NGOs and other stakeholders to make the transition affordable for the farmers. I feel privileged to have spent time with some truly inspiring people who have been working to bring solar power to farmers and rural communities for years.
We met with several NGOs with solar sites and ran workshops with farmers that their irrigation systems serve. We also got to see solar powered water purifying, one for people and another for fisheries.
These site visits and the workshop discussions were incredibly helpful and humbling in equal measure. Innovation is on show everywhere. I turned up with ideas of automated water valves, and soil moisture sensors, and …well, let’s just say I got a valuable lesson in simplification!
Spending just over a week with a fantastic team of organisations focused on one problem area is an incredible luxury, and I am really excited to see what we can deliver over the next couple of years.
🚀 I’ll be sharing more about my brief time in Bangladesh in a future post. I may be slightly obsessed with the traffic system…
#SolarIrrigation #CleanEnergy #IoT #TechForGood #Bangladesh #AgriTech #Sustainability #UKRI