Renewable Energy in the Developing World

Photos from a class I took in January 2006 taught by Solar Energy International (www.solarenergy.org) at Rancho Mastatal (www.ranchomastatal.com) in Costa Rica

Sol de Vida's banner Building a cardboard solar cooker Building a wooden solar cooker Solar cookers in action - even the cardboard ones reach temperatures of 250 F! Mandy and Jeff decorate our solar cooker. Food will taste even better cooked from the sun in this beautiful solar oven. Dona Maria's house Her PV panel Bertila Romero Pizarro, Ian Woofenden, and Dona Maria (Right to left) The Last Supper and the solar panel controller Dona Maria in her kitchen Ian and Dean Middleton discuss the use of PV. Our class project - PV for Tim and Robin's house Mandy and Megan check out the controller box Testing the panels before they go on the roof. Mike testing the lights with the voltmeter-on-a-stick Jose goes to the top of the class (to test the lights) Megan and the voltmeter-on-a-stick Putting the PV on the roof Jose, Ben, Jeff and David take a break Dean, Mandy and Jose put the finishing touches on the controller Blas watches the action Let there be light! Robin flips the switch Checking out the controller. We did it! Biodigester trench. We still have some work to do... Digging... and then some more. Juan Carlos really gets into his work. The finished trench Putting in the biodigestor bag Filling it with water Preparing the stove The pig power source! What next? Putting the bag through the end pipe And the entry pipe Gas outlet valve and monitor. Bubbles in the bottle indicate there is enough gas Juan Carlos instructs Don Sedro on the use of his new biodigestor The finished biodigestor!