As scientists and engineers puzzle over how to inexpensively deliver thin-film photovoltaic solar cells, wave and tidal powered turbines, hydrogen-fueled cars, and other advanced technologies to reduce world dependence on fossil fuels, a team of college engineering students is working on a decidedly lower-tech, though no less difficult, project they hope will bring hydroelectric power to remote areas of the African country of Rwanda.

The group, part of Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering student-run Humanitarian Engineering Leadership Program (HELP), in September set up two hydroelectric turbines powered by a local water source in Banda, a mountainous region at the edge of Nyungwe National Park with a population of around 6,000.

The first site's turbine—prebuilt and taken to Banda by the students—generates enough energy to charge six 12-volt batteries concurrently. "While the total power (310 watts) is relatively low by American standards, its enough to charge up to 30 batteries per day, each of which only needs to be recharged once every two weeks," engineering student Eric Trautmann, 23, wrote in a September 19 blog on the group's Web site. Trautmann, who is pursuing his masters in robotics, is one of 15 Thayer electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering students working on the Rwanda project. Eight of the students—including Trautmann—have traveled to Banda since June to get the turbines up and running, while the other seven helped plan the project, design the turbines, and provide backup support from the U.S.

The second turbine, built from scratch with local parts and labor, has been more troublesome. The turbine's charge controller—used to ensure batteries do not overcharge—has malfunctioned repeatedly, says student Derek Brand, 22, who recently returned from Rwanda after a three-month stay. While in Africa, Brand needed to travel several hours to another village in search of new parts to correct the problem. The turbine is now up and running and producing 300 Watts of energy.

The students plan to, with help from the locals, upgrade the sites over time to improve their output to 1.5 kilowatts, enough meet all of the village's electrical needs and more. But for now, Brand says, increasing power isn't a top priority because the combination of energy produced by both sites is "more than enough to meet the town's demand, at least until we return next summer."

In the meantime, some of the Banda people use the turbine sites to recharge the car batteries that serve as the main power source for their homes (providing the juice they need for lighting and to charge smaller batteries used in cell phones, flashlights and radios). It is not uncommon for a Banda resident to walk dozens of miles over the area's rough terrain with a 40-pound (18-kilogram) battery balanced on his or her head to the nearest town with electricity, sleep the night there, and then walk back home the following day with the recharged battery.

4 Comments

1. 1. David M. Clemen 04:50 PM 11/25/08

   Small scale hydroelectric power should be used more extensively in Africa. Hydroelectric power is much more economical, and more practical than solar, wind, and tidal power. It also can be employed on a very small scale, as described in the article, and on a larger scale (100 KW to 50 MW) if the water resource and topography are agreeable.
   I was in Ethiopia for 2 months assisting on a large scale hydroelectric project (4 - 30MW units) that was being upgraded to add a fifth unit. The hydro project had produced reliable electric power from the early 1970's, when it was constructed to the present day. It also provided a reliable water supply for the nearby villages; and the additional benefit of irrigation water for the local farmers. When you can address three problems (electricity/drinkable water/irrigation water) with one type of energy supply, you have a real winner.

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2. 2. eco-steve 03:24 PM 11/26/08

   An easy way to generate electricity is to pyrolise wood in a sealed oven. This gives off hydrogen which can power a small electricity generator and also produces some charcoal which can be used for smoke-free cooking to get rid of apalling third-world chest conditions. Current research produces $70,000 pyrolysis ovens with hi-tech options for producing ammonium fertilisers and biofuels. What is needed is an absolutely basic oven an african blacksmith could make from an oil drum. Then only the electical unit would need supplying by donors. Small is beautiful.

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3. 3. ruralworld 06:29 AM 1/17/09

   Hi,
   Am new and need some help

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4. 4. joeygee1 08:14 PM 8/23/10

   We are working to revamp the hydro-electric power station on the Kainji River. I would love to know how new technologies can help us as we retrofit this 1968 project, especially in terms of high-efficiency turbines and power output arrays.

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