Séminaire Sustainable solar water scheme design in humanitarian and development contexts

This course trains qualified and motivated engineers and scientists active (or intending to be active) in the Energy or WASH sector to plan, design, implement, and assess the cost-effectiveness of solar water supply systems for humanitarian and development operations. It covers the technical and economic aspects needed for sustainable solar water schemes, integrating borehole dynamic processes into design and offering hands-on assembly of a full solar water scheme, alongside field practicals (hydrogeology basics, groundwater exploitation, borehole diagnostics, pumping tests, distribution networks, solar principles, life-cycle and O&M).

University or equivalent degree. Prior experience in the domains of water supply or solar energy of advantage.

Participants strengthen or prepare for roles in the booming solarisation of water supply systems, within the Energy/WASH sectors of INGOs, UN agencies, donors, governments, and the private sector—e.g., as water/solar project engineers, WASH solar design specialists, field implementers, and technical advisors able to deliver climate-resilient, cost-effective solar water schemes in humanitarian and development contexts.

Introduction to relevant principles of applied hydrogeology, with particular emphasis on optimized groundwater exploitation, water management in humanitarian and development contexts 
Introduction to borehole diagnostics and solar pre-feasibility studies
To plan, design, carry out and interpret a pump test to obtain the ‘safe solar yield’ as design input for solar water scheme design
Introduction to design of water distribution networks, from water point to reservoir, with particular emphasis on specificities of solar water schemes 
To understand the close link between exploitation schemes/energy consumption and solar water scheme design
To get familiar with the basics of solar energy principles and the factors affecting solar pumping schemes functioning
To learn how to design a solar water scheme based on the result of the pumping test
To get hands-on experience in assembling a complete solar water supply scheme
To get familiarized with life-cycle analysis in order to compare different technology choices and optimize exploitation costs

The course is designed for engineers and scientists interested in the domain of water supply and solar systems in humanitarian and development contexts. Previous knowledge or experience of solar energy technology is not required.