Project Description: |
| As
manager of the CRS-TNC Renewable Energy Partnership, RPI designed
and implemented The Sustainable Energy Solutions for Mexican
Communities program with the Southern Mexico office of the Nature
Conservancy. In this capacity, we developed four model AT-RE
projects in communities in the buffer zones of Mexican Biosphere
Reserves. These model projects (solar electric fencing, solar
coffee dryers, fuel efficient stoves, and solar electric power
for carpentry enterprises) have a training component. The purpose
of these trainings were to insure that the technologies were
appropriate scale to meet the needs of the users, that the communities
and the local Mexican NGO partners were trained to operate and
maintain the systems, and that the conservation goals of the
project were met. |
Applications: |
| Training
in solar electric fencing, fuel efficient wood burning cooking
stoves, and solar dyers for coffee. |
Sponsors: |
|
Center
for Resource Solutions-The Nature Conservancy Renewable Energy
Partnership, Shell Sustainability Initiative, Greenville Foundation |
Participating Organizations: |
| Trees,
Water & People, Ecotourismo & Nuevas Tecnologias, Aprovecho
Research Center, Instituto de Historia Natural y Ecologia, the
Biosphere Reserves of El Ocote, El Triunfo, La Sepultura |
Results: |
|
RPI was able to establish models for community appropriate technology
(AT) and renewable energy (RE) that had biodiversity conservation
benefits while encouraging sustainable and compatible economic
development. The solar fencing, carpenter shop and the solar
coffee drying all had increased income generation from improved
productivity due to the AT-RE systems. Micro-financing on a
regional scale is the next phase for this project. |
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|
2000 - 2002
|
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Testing
Solar Electric Fence in
El Ocote Biosphere Reserve
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Testing
solar panel
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Solar
Fencing Workshop Participants
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