Solar Irrigation Pump

When Innovate UK challenged industry to develop a low-cost Solar Irrigation Pump for African small-holders, we went through all the technologies we could to find the best option.  Early on in the process, we looked at the Stirling Engine – a remarkable technology that uses the expansion and contraction of a gas to drive a piston – and we found a variant that had demonstrated unparalleled reliability called a Free-Piston Stirling Engine, which we decided to use as a basis for our pump design.

We teamed with Nottingham University, Bowman Process Technology and Practical Action to develop a practical solution to the problem and after bidding at the end of 2015, we were successful in completing the proof of principle stage of work, which demonstrated all of the component parts required including an engine capable of pumping water.  We are now delighted to be working on the second phase of the project which will lead us to a fully functioning prototype in the Summer of 2018.