Solar power ensures clean drinking water in Urphertshofen

When the village's forest spring dried up and the reserve well lacked electricity, an off-grid solar power system became the solution, guaranteeing 25 cubic meters of sterilized water per day – year-round.

The 200 inhabitants of Urphertshofen, a small village in Middle Franconia, Germany, have for centuries obtained their drinking water from a forest spring. But reduced rainfall in recent years has caused the well to dry up.

Fortunately, there is a reserve well – but when it was recently put into use, it turned out that the water, although abundant, was not clean enough to drink.

To make the water drinkable, it must be sterilized with ultraviolet light. The problem? The well is located in the middle of the forest with no access to the power grid.

Germany has a well-developed and stable power grid, which makes off-grid solutions unusual. Bringing electricity to the site would be extremely expensive – therefore, the inhabitants of Urphertshofen decided to investigate the possibility of a completely reliable off-grid energy solution.

IBC SOLAR designs a solution that never fails

Local solar expert IBC SOLAR, which offers energy solutions for both private and industrial use, was commissioned to create a system that works year-round – and meets the village's need for 25 cubic meters of treated water per day.

The technology behind the sustainable solution

A MonoSol solar power system with an output of 4 kWp has been installed – enough to keep a 24V 235Ah battery charged all year round. A SmartSolar charge controller is used to maximize solar energy yield. The selected Phoenix Inverter is a proven solution that converts 18.4–34 VDC to 230 VAC with up to 88% efficiency – perfect for small loads and continuous 24/7 operation.

Safety first

For added security, the engineering firm IDEAS has installed a built-in safety valve that automatically stops water flow in the event of a power outage, so that insufficiently treated water never reaches households. A smart solution that gives the inhabitants complete peace of mind.