American Solar Energy Society » Africa http://www.ases.org Leading the Renewable Energy Revolution Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:12:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Can Rural People in the Developing World Become a New Market for Solar Power? http://www.ases.org/can-the-rural-people-in-the-developing-world-become-a-new-market-for-solar-power/ http://www.ases.org/can-the-rural-people-in-the-developing-world-become-a-new-market-for-solar-power/#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:28:17 +0000 Chelsea Dunbar http://www.ases.org/?p=11331 Screen_Shot_2013-01-29_at_1.19.04_PM.png.492x0_q85_crop-smart

d.light solar Video Screen Capture
Source: treehugger.com, Jan. 30, 2013

Solar powered devices can be extremely beneficial to rural, poor communities in areas of Africa, Asia, and throughout the developing world. These areas are quickly emerging as a market for clean energy technologies. This is one way to improve the kind of development that has been present in poor, rural communities for many years. Instead of simply throwing money at them, some charities are now funding small, local businesses that sell solar solutions to rural communities at affordable rates. For-profit enterprises, such as d.light, are taking advantage of this market and designing products specifically for use by consumers in these communities. d.light solar’s mission is to manufacture and distribute solar lights and power products to those in the developing world without access to reliable power sources. d.light is already serving over 40 countries and aims to change the lives of 100 million people by 2020. This company’s newest innovations, including improved solar panels and longer lasting batteries, may be the beginning of an entirely new industry in the developing world.

Source: treehugger.com, How the Rural Poor are Becoming a Market for Solar Power

]]> http://www.ases.org/can-the-rural-people-in-the-developing-world-become-a-new-market-for-solar-power/feed/ 40 New Way to Produce Energy: Pee http://www.ases.org/new-way-to-produce-energy-pee/ http://www.ases.org/new-way-to-produce-energy-pee/#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:30:08 +0000 Ariel Braude http://www.ases.org/?p=10209 It is always impressive when a teenager develops revolutionary technology. It is even more impressive when this technology is designed in a developing country by four young women ages 14 and 15. Maker Faire Africa takes place every year, this year in Lagos, Nigeria, and is an event where makers and innovators alike can show off their  innovations that focus on practicality and the main issues that African’s face. The four girls revolutionized a new way to generate energy: pee. They developed a urine powered generator that functions as followed [Source: TNW]

  • Urine is put into an electrolytic cell, which cracks the urea into nitrogen, water, and hydrogen.
  • The hydrogen goes into a water filter for purification, which then gets pushed into the gas cylinder.
  • The gas cylinder pushes hydrogen into a cylinder of liquid borax which is used to remove the moisture from the hydrogen gas.
  • This purified hydrogen gas is pushed into the generator.
  • 1 Liter of urine gives you 6 hours of electricity.

Photo Credit: The Next Web

What a cool and innovative way to generate energy! It might be a little disgusting to think about at first, but apparently pee is a lot more valuable than we give it credit for. These four girls had the intelligence to develop such a technology, now let’s hope that it can help solve some of the issues that African’s face on a day-to-day basis.

]]> http://www.ases.org/new-way-to-produce-energy-pee/feed/ 7 Women in Solar Energy (WISE) Luncheon to be at WREF 2012 http://www.ases.org/women-in-solar-energy-wise-luncheon-to-be-at-wref-2012/ http://www.ases.org/women-in-solar-energy-wise-luncheon-to-be-at-wref-2012/#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:24:07 +0000 Joel Moore http://ases.org/?p=2014 How do we create the next generation of energy users and ensure that they understand the need for emphasizing both energy efficiency and focusing on renewables?  Susy Ellison, high school science teacher and 2010 recipient of the National Environmental Education Foundation’s Richard C. Bartlett Award for environmental literacy education will share stories of renewable energy projects at Yampah Mountain High School that engage and empower her students.  Susy’s students have learned about energy efficiency and solar power while building a strawbale classroom, installing solar panels on the roof of the school, constructing and running a greenhouse, building ‘solar suitcases’ for medical clinics in Africa, while examining their own and the school’s daily energy use.  These students are the future consumers of and advocates for an energy future based on renewables.

This speaker will be followed by the Women in Solar Award winner. At the time of this printing the winner has not been determined. This session is specifcally for women but all are invited. There will be time for networking. This luncheon usually sells out so get your tickets early.

To register click here.

]]> http://www.ases.org/women-in-solar-energy-wise-luncheon-to-be-at-wref-2012/feed/ 1 New Documentary on West African Solar http://www.ases.org/new-documentary-on-west-african-solar/ http://www.ases.org/new-documentary-on-west-african-solar/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:03:05 +0000 Carolyn Beach http://ases.org/?p=1604

Dr. Richard Komp (center), Morgan Robinson, and Claire Weingarten accept the Cinema for Peace International Green Film Award.

Wow! How exciting is this? Dr. Richard Komp, American Solar Energy Society (ASES) Life Member, Director of the Maine Solar Energy Association and intrepid world-traveler was co-producer of a documentary movie, Burning in the Sun, that recently won the Cinema for Peace 2012 International Green Film Award. Richard, along with his co-producer Claire Weingarten and the film’s director, Morgan Robinson, picked up their award in Berlin on February 12th at the Cinema for Peace Award Gala.

Dr. Komp acted as a mentor to Daniel Dembele, a young entrepreneur from Mali, West Africa who wants to help his country and its citizens by installing solar electric panels on 99% of all rural houses in Mali to bring electricity to those communities for the very first time. Richard travels the world, working in developing countries, teaching average citizens to build and install photovoltaic (PV) panels that generate electricity from the sun. His work brings power to people who’ve never experienced it before. Watch the trailer below.

]]> http://www.ases.org/new-documentary-on-west-african-solar/feed/ 7