Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Green Energy for a Dormitory in Kitale, Kenya
EPA Grant Number: SU833922Title: Green Energy for a Dormitory in Kitale, Kenya
Investigators: Appel, Philip , Striebig, Bradley A. , Nalelia, Gilbert , Norwood, Susan
Institution: Gonzaga University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: August 31, 2008 through July 31, 2009
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2008) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
This project is a multi phased project conducted in partnership with the Small World Educational Foundation. SWEF has a ongoing project to build a Sustainable Technology Transfer Facility (STTF) in Kitale to provide education on the use of the sustainable technologies developed in this project, in conjunction with a ceramic water filter production facility in Kitale, Kenya. The specific goal of this P3 project is to develop four key technologies to provide and support sustainable energy. These technologies will not only provide sustainable power for the proposed dormitory, but can also be scaled for use in Kenyan homes. A ‘systems’ energy needs approach for the Kenyan culture was used while being sensitive to the principles of sustainability. All of the designs provide scalable energy solutions using locally available materials.
The systematic analysis of energy needs reveals that the use of wood based fuels for cooking must be reduced to prevent deforestation in the area. Wind and solar techniques that can substitute for current wood fuel uses will offset the demand for wood fuels that is planned in the production of the ceramic water filters. This systematic interrelationship caused the inclusion of a technology using wind and solar energy to be used for a grain drying and storage feature. In addition to the wind and solar technologies, a rainwater harvesting system was developed to provide a source of water that is less contaminated than typical surface-water sources and to reduce the energy required to disinfect and transport water for typical farmsteads.
All the technologies developed in this project were designed to use locally appropriate materials, recycled when possible and with appropriate methods of maintenance and operation for Kenyan farm workers.
The four technologies developed are:
- a wind powered battery charging system to supply 12-volt energy to homes more cheaply than with current methods;
- a solar hot water system to provide water for cooking that does not consume wood based fuels in the home;
- a solar and wind-powered grain dryer to dry and store grain harvested;
- a rain water harvester to provide cleaner water to the home reducing fuels used in disinfection and transportation.
Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies:
The Phase II Objectives is to continue work with our project partners, who plan to construct the STTF (which includes a dormitory) in Kitale adjacent to the Filtron Filter Fabrication Facility in the summer of 2009. The Phase II project will use the STTF as an educational and center for students from throughout Kenya that wish to learn how to produce the sustainable technologies being introduced. The STTF will be a demonstration and development center, using the sustainable technologies in its daily operation. During the next two years of the Phase II the project will concentrate on using performance data from the technologies in use at the STTF to both improve the design of the technologies, and to improve the understanding of the operation and maintenance characteristics for Kenyan users. The project development will also encourage adoption by supporting each of the five phases of the Innovation Decision Theory. These phases are: 1) education, 2) persuasion, 3) decision, 4) implementation and 5) confirmation.
The project will monitor weather, crops, and power needs to help improve upon the design produced during phase I and add additional refinements to the technologies where needed.
This project has strong partnerships in Kenya and enjoys support from participants in the Eastern Washington region. These partnerships greatly increase the likelihood of a successful Phase II for implementation of the systematic approach developed in Phase I.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The key power limiting factors for the Kitale region were: 1) the limited amount of available wood based fuels that are currently used for cooking, 2) electrical power is limited in geographic extent and then only available 3-4 days per week, and 3) clean water is limited during parts of the year, requiring filtering or other disinfection.
Four technologies were identified to address these issues:
- a scalable wind driven power generator;
- a scalable rain water capturing system;
- a scalable solar-powered water boiling system;
- a scalable grain storage and drying system.
Each of these four technologies could be implemented with construction costs of less than $500.00 and payback periods of less than one year. The four technologies support increased health in the community by both increasing access to healthy water and by reducing the exposure of women and children to fumes from wood based fuels burned in the home.
Conclusions:
If implemented, the combined effects of these four systems would result in:
- a net income increase for the average family in less than one year after implementation;
- an annual supply of improved quality drinking water independent of local municipal supply;
- increased access to electrical power that is independent of local utilities;
- a potential decrease in family illness through a cleaner water supply and improved indoor air quality.
Supplemental Keywords:
Sustainable technology, rainwater harvest, economic development, solar water heating, slow sand filter, wind power, solar grain drying, wind powered grain drying;, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Environmental Chemistry, Sustainable Environment, Energy, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Environmental Engineering, sustainable development, environmental sustainability, alternative materials, biomass, alternative fuel, biodiesel fuel, energy efficiency, energy technology, alternative energy sourceThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.