Bulgarian Solar/Wind-Powered Irrigation System Sparks Int'l Interest

An irrigation system running renewable energy developed by a Bulgarian company sparked interest from Qatar, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

A prototype of the system has already been installed and is functioning in the southeastern village of Polyana, Yambol district, where the technology services a farm of 50 decares, according to reports of Capital daily.

The irrigation system is an installation of solar panels or windmills which supply energy to the pumps extracting water from the ground, thereby saving electricity costs and the need to access energy infrastructure.

The system was built by an engineering team of the company Green Technologies Industry with EU funding under operational program "Competitiveness" amounting to BGN 300 000.

The irrigation system was exhibited at an international forum in March, after which international entities expressed interest, according to Martin Ganev, a member of the team which created the device.

In an interview for Capital daily, Ganev explained that the efforts of the company in 2014 would be focused on the commercialization of the innovation so as to make it more affordable for agricultural producers.

He informed that the current price tag of the technology amounted to BGN 10 000 - BGN 100 000.

Ganev was positive that the technology would be used extensively in 6-7 years' time, adding that it would prove its efficiency and economic viability in the conditions of constant climate changes on a global scale.