Solar-wind hybrid water pumping (GEF Small Grants Program)

Installation of wind turbine foundation

The foundations for the wind turbine tower have been laid, according to a design by MFC and partners. The tower was manufactured in Mali, according to the design, by a local company in Sikasso. This local production of equipment where possible supports Malian businesses.  

Please click on images for higher resolution.

Hole dug to set the anchor point for tower cables, with anchor made of rebar (left); levelling the tower foot over its hole, into which concrete will be poured (centre); the tower foot reinforcing cage, to be covered with concrete, will provide a stable base for the 165kg wind turbine tower to be installed above it (right).

Levelling the tower foot with a yellow spirit level, helps ensure the tower will be vertical when installed (left); mixing concrete for pouring into the tower foot foundation (centre); the poured tower foot foundation, with cable duct inserted to carry the cable from the wind turbine to the pump controller (right).

The tower foot with the first sections of tower tubing laid out in order to aid alignment (left & centre); bringing water on a donkey cart to mix the cement (right).

The system provides water for animals & gardening before installation is complete

A young boy takes water pumped into an old storage tank by the solar part of the system - as the wind part has not yet been installed (left); the water is given to animals (centre); the water has already been used for gardening (right).

For more information on water pumping in Mali, using the wind or the sun, please contact Mali-Folkecenter (contacts page)

For video clips see below. Please note, the files are quite large (approx 1.3MB).

The clip on the left shows the wind turbine tower pipes during production at a metal workshop in Sikasso. The one on the right shows the team from the village mixing cement, and the wind blowing on the wind measurement equipment.