Solar Liberia

 Solar Liberia Project  No Responses »
Jul 292011
 

Harnessing Renewable Energy to Address Community Needs

The world has gradually recognized the need for a shift from unsustainable methods of energy generation to clean, more sustainable technology.

In Liberia, the government has undertaken the restoration and reconstruction of the traditional hydro-power plants which were destroyed in the civil war.  Additionally, Solar and Wind farms have also been included in energy production plans. However, as beneficial and important as these movements are, a clean eco-friendly future cannot be secured without addressing the simple micro issues, such as how a person cooks their meal; by firewood, improved cook stove or solar?

At the personal request of Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf, NGO Sustainability is planning a project for the Maryland province of Liberia, in which we will introduce environmentally friendly technologies such as solar cookers, improved cook stoves, water pasteurization indicators (WAPIs), and solar lanterns.

Workshops will be held led by trainers who will instruct the community on how to use, maintain and construct these technologies.

A local NGO, “Marylanders for Progress,” will be responsible for the program, for which NGO Sustainability will be assisting.

Funding will be from the UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme (SFP-GEF), with the responsibility to find partners for additional funding sources.

For the past few weeks we have been assessing the technologies which we hope to utilize on the project. We look for not only sustainability but practicality: Can the Solar lantern brightly light a 4m by 5m room?  Can the Solar cooker easily prepare a meal for a family of 5 (which is the average size of a Liberian household)? We believe that the availability of such features will ease the acceptance of the product by the local community.

This project will have an approximate 4 month initial introductory work session.

By the end, we hope to replace the current unsustainable technologies (such as open-fire cooking etc.) in the Maryland province with sustainable eco-friendly technologies. At the very least, we hope to boost the eco-movement in the province by giving the people a green option.

 

 

 Posted by ngo admin at 8:51 pm  Tagged with: , ,

“Introducing Small Scale Solar in Liberia”

 Solar Liberia Project  No Responses »
Nov 112010
 
NGO Sustainability’s project, “Introducing Small Scale Solar in Liberia,” seeks to support community participation through training in the use and production of solar cookers, improved cook stoves, solar pumps, WAPIs and solar lanterns. It is also anticipated that upon successful completion, this project would be replicated in other parts of Liberia as an initiative that helps in the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.
According to the World Health Organization, “1.6 million women and children in developing countries die from fumes from indoor biomass stoves.“ Close attention must be paid especially to women and children, who are mainly responsible for wood-gathering and cooking. As an alternative, we recommend an ecologically conscious cooking approach that includes both solar cookers and improved cookstoves because they are convenient for rural villages and because they are simple to assemble and cost effective.  Additionally, solar cookers, instead of using fossil fuels, can be used in conjunction with water pasteurization devices. Solar cookers would alleviate the potential health problems associated with people drinking contaminated water, such as cholera and diarrhea.
Liberia population’s dependence on biomass for fuel has accelerated environmental degradation, and has had adverse health, social and economic impacts.Therefore, NGO Sustainability’s project to introduce sustainable energy into Liberia would not only serve the country’s interest, but would also provide a significant example for carbon-neutral energy options in developing countries.
 Posted by ngo admin at 8:50 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,
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