"I love that you've brought this to attention. An extensive database of uncommon but resistant and hardy plants/foods could be developed and organized by climate. Ease of growth and processing should also be taken in to account. I will try to…"
A crash course in changing the world.
Solar Suitcases, bringing power wherever it's needed around the world Learn3
Laura Stachel, an OB-GYN doctor from Berkeley, CA, environmental sociology PhD teacher Hal Aronson, and Elk Grove, CA high school teacher Tim McDougal have teamed up to provide solar power (packed and delivered through suitcases!) to bring much-needed electricity to clinics in Africa and Mexico, and, most recently, to Haiti.
http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2010/3/15/sunlight-captured-in...
Dr. Satchel, worked on emergency obstetric care in Nigeria, where one in thirteen rural Nigerian girls are likely to die in childbirth--due to insufficient medical facilities. Together with Hal Aronson, PhD., they founded WE CARE Solar [Women's EmergencyCommunication and Reliable Electricity], working with high school teacher Tim McDougal. McDougal's inspiration was Stachel's Solar Schoolhouse Summer Institute presentation. http://californiasolarcenter.org/ssh/ssh_sie2010.html
Solar in a suitcase used the basic components of solar cells and power generating and utilization equipment, with lights, communications equipment, blood bank refrigeration, surgical tools power, etc, in a very portable package.
You can hear Dr. Stachel on explaining how to make solar cells on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8zEBrH2bPU
and see WE CARE in action and hear Dr. Satchel explain the vision that powered the creation of their solar suitcases on another YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIPGfxg8c_4&feature=player_embedded
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The US Marines have also developed their version of a portable, sustainable energy-harvesting system (at 300 watts per "bag" called the Ground Renewable Expeditionary ENergy System, or GREENS.
http://cleantechnica.com/2009/12/11/us-marines-go-greens-with-porta... In operation, GREENS solar panels fold out of durable metal frameworks (suitcases). (Developed by the US Office of Naval Research).
Meanwhile, thanks to collaborative efforts between teacher Tim Mcdougal and his engineering students at an Elk Grove, CA highschool, trend-setting industries like: Everbright Solar, making portable, suitcase-sized solar panels (http://www.everbrightsolar.com/products.asp), One Million Lights, supplier of BOGO solar-powered flashlights (http://www.onemillionlights.org/), and Red Dog Radios, designers of a system to extend Nigerian doctors' two-way radios to a 10 - 12 mile radius (http://reddogradios.com/), and aid organizations such as UNICEF, Solar Suitcases have now been placed in nine countries, including Rwanda, Tanzania, Nigeria and Haiti; deliveries for more are scheduled for Burma and Zimbabwe.
Since one of the problems facing WE CARE solar suitcases is the durability of the solar cells and of the suitcases themselves, since they must undergo often arduous travel conditions to reach the remote and underserved locations where they are most needed, perhaps someday soon, in a best-case scenario, the WE CARE and GREENS solar platforms can be merged to create a much more powerful, durable, sustainable and portable solar power delivery system.
Views: 83
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Comment by Luuk van Breda on March 22, 2010 at 3:12am
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like the suitcase idea , will get in contat with them re asia, great
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Comment by Michele Baron on March 22, 2010 at 3:49am
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Please let me know how collaboration/efforts in re asia goes. Best success to you. I think the portability of this technology will fill many service gaps--and engender newer, more efficient technologies as well. Thank you for your comments, Murray and Luuk.
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Comment by Patricio Buenrostro-Gilhuys on March 22, 2010 at 6:32am
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Solar suitcases, cool!!!
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Comment by Shakwei Mbindyo on March 22, 2010 at 11:22am
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+1KS. Great innitiative and a worthy cause (maternal health). Any idea how much they cost - I can't seem to find the info in any of the websites I have visited.
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@ Shakwei, for fastest info: "Usually, putting a unit together costs about $1,000, but McDougal’s class makes a portion of the solar suitcase for around $350. However, it still needs to be outfitted with solar panels, the wires, lights, batteries, and lamp cords, as well as the flashlights, headlamps, and communication equipment. Students are bankrolling their manufacturing efforts with fundraising activities" [http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2010/3/15/sunlight-captured-in...]. I think any high-school level students anywhere can learn the assembly process--they can use the Solar Schoolhouse Solar Institute link and see if a trainer can come out--youth solar symposium or something--, or go to DIY netlinks to build solar. With aid or fundraising, costs per unit should be under $400, I should think.
@Pan--love your solar umbrella idea. I am working on geting wiring components and trying to craft solar-curtain-panels for the windows in this house. ... thinking out of the black box
'elle
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Comment by David Anderson on March 24, 2010 at 4:36pm
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Great post. Check out: 1BOG
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Interesting site. Thank you David!
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