Technology distribution models

It was interesting to learn about the different distribution models for the stoves in Guatemala.  Recall that the Spanish school developed a very cheap and easy safe stove that could be provided to families for little to no cost.  The company I volunteered with had a different model, of selling the stove to families, and any family could purchase one, and while the costs were on the higher end, the families could pay in payment plans where each month their fee was estimated to be equal to the amount that they would typically pay for extra wood for a non-fuel-efficient stove.

Es muy interesante aprender sobre las diferente modelos de distribución por las estufas en Guatemala.  La estufa de la escuela tenía una deseño por la estufas que es muy barrato y facil.  Entonces las familias podían recebir las estufas por menos o nada cuesta.  Las estufas de la compania distribieron con un otra modelo.  La compania vendía estas estufas a alguien familia.  La cuesta era mas de un tradicional estufa, pero las familias podía pagar un poco cada mes, y la cuesta por una mes es la misma de la cuesta por la leña por un estufa tradiciónal. 

Neither of these models are better.  They each have tradeoffs and serve different markets, and having both types of models helped ensure a larger population of Guatemalans with safe stoves.  Sustainable distribution models for safe stoves, and other types of technologies for improving quality of life in rural areas, are sometime more difficult that the engineering of the technologies, though often these concepts are intertwined. 

No modelo es major.  Cada modelo tiene un diferent propósito y cada modelo tiene intercambios.  Mas modelos es mejor por los Guatemaltecos porque mas familias reciben estufas.  Modelos de distribución que son sostenible de estufas y otra tipos de tecnologia es una problema y a menudo haciendo un bien modelo es mas dificil que la deseño de ingenieria, pero ambos son conectado. 

When I was talking with my Spanish teacher in Guatemala about energy in his country, I asked about why wind and solar energy was so rare.  His answer was that these technologies are very expensive. 

Cuando yo hablaba con my maestro de español sobre energía en Guatemala, lo pregunté porque no hay mucho energía de viento y sol.  La repuesta era que estes tecnologias son muy caro. 

WindAid, the organization in Peru that I am currently working with, has come up with several models for distributing wind energy to communities without power.  WindAid has a basic volunteer program that includes training in manufacturing their wind turbines, and almost half of the volunteer fees goes to pay for a wind turbines for a home or community area without power in Peru, and the people without power get these wind turbines at no charge.  During my first week in Peru, I helped install one of these 500 W wind turbines at a beach restaurant in Sichura, Peru. 

This restaurant was in a beach area that is popular with the locals, and before the turbine was installed, this restaurant and all others in the vicinity had to rely on batteries to use lights, radios, etc.  The wind turbine will now allow the owner to keep his restaurant open later at night with music and lights. 

This type of social entrepreneurship where volunteers provide much of the funds for these technology projects has the potential to work well on a small scale.  But WindAid has also come up with other methods to get wind turbines out to communities who need power.  This beach restaurant was chosen to receive a wind turbine in part, I think, because it would be a great spot for publicity of the organization and their wind turbines.  We posted fliers explaining wind energy at the restaurant, and we did indeed get a lot of curious beach goers come by and ask questions about it.  The flyers encouraged people to contact WindAid, and I assume will lead to more purchases of wind turbines, more communities inquiring about obtaining a turbine, and hopefully more financial support into the program. 

WindAid does also sell wind turbines, so clean energy (energía limpia) can go out to more locations.  Furthermore, the organization is also working with another organization to provide the wind turbines for free, and then after the community uses it for a month or so to see how it can help improve the quality of life by enabling children to study after dark, people to charge cell phones, etc. a device will be installed to charge the users for each kW-hr they use at a very low cost.  They theory is that after enough time, the cost of the wind turbine will be paid for, and thus this becomes a sustainable distribution system of wind turbines.