[Peripherals] [support-gang] Alternitive Power for Developing Countries

info at olpc-peru.info info at olpc-peru.info
Mon May 5 14:05:32 EDT 2008 

Hello Mel and all the people on the peripherals list,

I have been discussing the issue of energy with other fellow on the OLPC.

I am honest and I speak directly all the time: I think the solar energy 
is not a realistic posibilitie in Peru: there is 100% sunny days in the 
Andes JUST 6 months in a whole year.  The worst moments are the 4 to 5 
months were some villages (located over the 3,500 meters altitude) get 
100% cloudy time, very cloudy, huge rainfall.  According to all the 
investigation that I have done (I can send to anyone if you are 
interested) the solar devices can provide from 5% to 20% IF there is not 
a sunny day.  That is a BIG problem.

My best understanding, based on previous experience when I have work for 
a mining company is to build a mechanical device: human driven, leg 
driven.  But not a bycecle.  We have built it before but it was without 
"cost" restrictions.  It is based on a spinning wheel (I have many here 
at my sight).  But when I have put "cost" as a variable to take in 
account then I have got the next ideas:

a) Using alternators, in Peru, is expensive.  Each alternator cost 
US$300 aprox.
b) We need to import some magnets and assembly the alternator by 
ourselves.  The kids on the villages can do it as part of the 
"experience".  We must provide the alternators, the copper wire, the 
circuit and components for the rectifier, and... the battery (battery is 
other hard issue... short live... expensive).  Assembly this "home made" 
alternator, connecting to the spinning wheel (that can need a double 
wheel or a "pulley" chain) can be an improvement (according to the first 
results that we can get).
c) Legs are the ones that will be used.  Not in a bycecle but on a 
spinning wheel.  It is totally possible generate enough energy for a 
regular laptor with the legs, it will be easier for the XOs.  Providing 
energy for the XServers is a totally different issue, I don't agree with 
the use of XServers.  I suggest that one of the XOs MUST behave as a 
Server (or the whole local XO network should behave as a "shared server" 
sharing processing power... but that is a bigger task).
d) Need more energy? Put bigger magnets or "more" copper wire.  Too 
heavy to move? Change design: move the copper wire around the magnets.  
Too heavy yet? Use concatenated pulleys.
e) Cost?: import the magnets from Korea or other asian manufacturer.

In this moment I don't have the time to develop this pilots (because I 
work independently, earning bread and butter for daily living, as 
anyone, and my spare time is not good enough to attack the problem in an 
efficient way).  So I am passing this info to you (and I can discuss and 
help more if there is someone interested in develop this prototypes).

If we don't get an asnwer for the energy problem then we will be 
delivering (we ARE delivering) XOs to the towns and villages that "look" 
poor in the eyes of the occidental culture but we are forgetting that in 
Peru the deep poverty is located in those 80,000 villages (5 million 
people) with less than 100 families in each villages, without 
electricity, less than FIVE HUNDRED dollars as total ANNUAL income for 
the family (with the work of the father, mother and children from 6 
years old).  The goverment can not reach them (they reach JUST the 5,000 
other villages that contains the rest of the peruvian population, 23 
million people).  So IF we deliver XOs just to the towns that HAVE 
electricity then we are keeping a "STATUS QUO" that have kept the same 
since 1821 (our "independence day" from the old spaniards conquerors).  
We need to be part of the solution and not be part of the problem.

We will develop this "energy" gadget (this or other one!) and then ALL 
the responsible people will be more than happy to bring the XOs to those 
villages.  Then we, all, be very happy.  Until then the "One Laptop Per 
Children" will not be a dream.

Best regards,

Javier Rodriguez
Lima, Peru

(just for the record: my other two nightmares are: internet connection 
without any VSAT (or paying to the telephone company)... building 
something like UUCP or a UUCP revival... and content, content, content).


Mel Chua wrote:
> Moving discussion to "peripherals" list (please reply to 
> peripherals at lists.laptop.org - subscription info at 
> http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/peripherals)...
>
> Chris Carrick, one of the staff members for the grassroots office in 
> Chicago this summer (our resident mechanical engineer & green guy), will 
> be working on getting many "ideas with prototypes built and tested" as 
> well as "simple instructions for replicating them made available to 
> empower the folks to generate their own power." (More of a "here's how 
> to design your *own* power solutions!" in the end, even more than a 
> "copy ours!" resource.) So your wish will be granted, Caryl. :)
>
> -Mel
>
> Caryl Bigenho wrote:
>   
>> Yes, I thought of that too.  But who would ride the bike?  Where would 
>> they go?  Would it be an exercise bike?  Do these folks really need more 
>> exercise?  If they, or someone in the family, will be riding around 
>> anyway, it would work.  But if they are walking most places (as the 
>> folks in the Andes tend to do), the bicycle is not a luxury they have at 
>> hand.  Still in some places it would probably be a great idea. 
>>
>> I would love to see lots of ideas with prototypes built and tested and 
>> simple instructions for replicating them made available to empower the 
>> folks to generate their own power.  Call it "Power Empowerment!"
>>
>>  > From: akonstam at sbcglobal.net
>>  > To: support-gang at lists.laptop.org
>>  > Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 14:40:55 -0500
>>  > Subject: Re: [support-gang] Alternitive Power for Developing Countries
>>  >
>>  > On Sun, 2008-05-04 at 08:26 -0700, Caryl Bigenho wrote:
>>  > > Hi...
>>  > >
>>  > > Yes, I've seen that weza treadle. The price is way to high for
>>  > > developing countries...it costs more than the XO! I'm looking for a
>>  > > charger that can be made inexpensively from something that may be
>>  > > readily available. It might even be possible to retrofit one of the
>>  > > sewing machines so it could sew and charge at the same time. That way
>>  > > Mom could recharge Junior's XO while she was making clothes or
>>  > > whatever!
>>  > >
>>  > > I wil take a look a the other list and move this idea there later this
>>  > > morning.
>>  > >
>>  > > Caryl
>>  > I am sure someone has thought of this but a bicycle would make an ideal
>>  > charging device.
>>  > --
>>  > =======================================================================
>>  > Romance, like alcohol, should be enjoyed, but should not be allowed to
>>  > become necessary. -- Edgar Friedenberg
>>  > =======================================================================
>>  > Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akonstam at sbcglobal.net
>>  >
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