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Ranchers use sun to power pasture water pumpsVELVA, N.D. (AP)--Though ranchers want rain, the hot, sunny weather has been helping some of them get water to cattle in remote pastures. Velva-based Verendrye Electric Cooperative started installing solar-powered pasture well systems for its members in 1991, after about 10 years of studying the idea. More than 130 systems are installed in Verendrye's seven-county area around Minot. Tom Jespersen, the co-op's energy adviser, said about 50 or 60 more will be installed this year. Randy Hauck, a member service manager for Verendrye, said the company was looking for alternatives to building power lines to remote sites. "The cost of a line extension was quite high versus the return," Hauck said. "So we started exploring options, and one of them that floated to the top in our area, because we do serve a lot of ranchers in this area, was trying to figure out how to do something different with pasture wells." Pasture wells use a small amount of power to intermittently pump water into a holding tank for cattle. The ranchers pay for the well, pump and water tank. Verendrye provides the solar system to power the pump. The cost to lease the system depends on how much water is needed, but the most common system used by ranchers costs $15 a month to lease, Hauck said. Running lines to a well a mile away costs around $20,000, Hauck said. While Verendrye offers a $2,500 credit toward the cost of the extension, the member must foot the rest of the bill, along with a $26 monthly charge just to have power going to the pump and the cost of whatever electricity is used. The solar systems cost around $3,000 or $4,000 to install, he said. In addition, Hauck said, "The rancher benefits with fresh water versus stale water in a dugout. There's a big benefit there." The system usually includes two solar panels that generate electricity using sunlight, aided by a solar tracker that moves the panels from east to west throughout the day so they are always pointed directly at the sun. To make sure cattle have enough water during cloudy days and at night, each system is designed to provide a three-day supply. This means if the animals need 1,000 gallons per day, 3,000 gallons will be stored in the tank. The solar array generates a DC power current that goes to a voltage controller, which then sends the power to a submersible pump in the well. "That controller's also connected to a float, so if the float falls down, the pump kicks on and fills up the tank," Hauck said. Once a system is installed, the only reasons to visit it are to make periodic checks or repairs. The systems are not used in the winter--ranchers simply turn them off in the fall and turn them back on again in the spring. The solar panels are durable enough to survive North Dakota winters without a cover. "We have found out that they are pretty reliable. Sure, the pumps do have some maintenance after a period of time, but the solar systems themselves have lasted close to 20 years," Hauck said. "Most of our original sites are still out there," Jespersen said. Verendrye got a federal energy efficiency grant in September 2006 to offset the cost of the specialized pump members must buy, up to $750. The grant is set to expire at the end of the year, before all the money will be used. Hauck said Verendrye will try to get an extension. After the grant expires, ranchers will pay a little bit more to get the system installed, he said. But he expects the demand to continue. "We don't see the program going away, even after the grant expires," Hauck said. 8/18/08 Date: 8/8/08
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