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This workshop covers methods, strategies, hands-on projects, implemented by me over a period of 11 years in Nepal (and lately also in Mongolia, Peru, Bolivia).
Nepal’s rapid growth in population and tourism has increased demands on a very delicate environment. Scarce natural resources such as fuelwood, which provides almost all of Nepal's energy needs, are being depleted rapidly. Deforestation and landslides result. Smoky interiors cause lung and eye problems. Many die from waterborne diseases. Solar cooking and water pasteurization can significantly solve the very critical health, environmental and energy problems of the country. In 1992 solar cooking and solar water pasteurization was not being practiced. My objective was to build a sustainable solar cooking and water pasteurization program, later to be expanded to other sustainable technologies. I follow up each year for three months to insure success and start new initiatives. Overall “ABC” strategy is to create Awareness, Build the infrastructure and Continuously follow-up on programs.
Some methods and examples of implementing this strategy are:
* Identify and work with organizations that can “champion” the solar cooking cause, which could be a natural addition to their programs such as renewable energy, environment, health, women empowerment, etc.
* Repeated public solar cooking demonstrations create Awareness; television, radio, newspaper coverage will spread the word. Solar technologies of many kinds have been shown in science TV programs.
* Teaching water pasteurization principles. Heating water to 65 Degrees Centigrade (150 F) is sufficient to kill all microbes harmful to people. Simple WAPI’s (Water Pasteurization Indicators) that can be made locally, can prevent illnesses caused by contaminated water. IDEXX Labs test tubes can test drinking water in the field. Pasteurization reduces energy more than 50 percent compared to boiling.
* Designing and demonstrating a lightweight (450 gram), roll-up, Backpack Cooker, is very effective in remote and rural areas as well as in the cities.
* Promoting/teaching responsible ECO tourism to minimize environmental deterioration. I designed a powerful, collapsible, lightweight (3.5 kg) parabolic solar cooker for trekking agencies and households. In the year 2000, I installed this 1-meter diameter cooker at Everest Base Camp for use of the Everest 2000 Environmental Clean-up Expedition in 2000. Trekking groups and expeditions would automatically disseminate solar cooking, providing a nice multiplier effect. Lightweight parabolic cookers for remote areas reduce transportation costs.
* Trekking experiences to the Annapurna, Everest, Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Helumbu/Gosainkind mountain areas illustrate dissemination methods used. For example, interviews to lodge keepers assessing fuelwood consumption for drinking water, cooking, showers, and space heating show that solar cookers can save 2.7 million to 5.4 million kilograms of wood. There is a real economical incentive due to costs of kerosene, wood, and gas.
* Promote simple solar dryers/water-heaters (serving as “stepping stones” to cookers). Solar dryers and water-heaters are more easily accepted and can serve as stepping-stones towards similarly built solar cookers.
* Promote low-cost “hay-boxes” or “retained heat cookers” that reduce energy demand.
* Adopting over the last 3 years, a more integrated approach for greater success, by adding improved fuelwood cook stoves, solar PV lighting, low-power/long-lasting WLEDS lights, composting bins/toilets to the projects.
* Promote good organizations and create links between them, expanding into collaborative working relationships. Frequently a knowledgeable “outsider” can act as a “catalyst”, recommending solar, sustainable programs or working together.
* Encourage and set up new NGO organizations, micro-enterprises and workshops dedicated to solar and other sustainable technologies.
* Initiate Matching Grant programs through my Rotary Club since I became a member a year ago. This resulted in 4 projects for 4 impoverished villages in the Kathmandu valley. The projects provide education, training, fabrication and distribution of locally made solar water pasteurizers, solar cookers & driers, improved fuelwood “Rocket” cook stoves, heat-retaining boxes, WAPI’s, WLED lights, solar PV, and composting bins/toilets.
* Continuous FOLLOW-UP with the organizations year in and year out. I spend 3 months each year in Nepal, and also keep in constant contact through e-mail over the year. An additional 2 months is typically spent in other developing countries to advance the cause for solar and sustainable programs.
RESULTS of these efforts in Nepal will be discussed, as well as recent additional projects in Mongolia, Peru and Bolivia. Various solar devices will be demonstrated.
BIOGRAPHY:
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND OF ALLART LIGTENBERG:
Allart Ligtenberg has BSEE, MSEE, Drs. degrees from the Technological University of Delft, The Netherlands. He has 39 years of experience as an engineer, engineering & manufacturing manager, marketing director, and president.
Since 1989, Allart has been an active volunteer and advocate of Solar Cooking.
In 1992 Allart, retired from his Hewlett-Packard engineering manager’s job, to follow his dream of promoting and teaching solar cooking/water pasteurization and other sustainable technologies in developing countries (and US).
Allart started solar cooking programs in Nepal where this method was not practiced. His efforts resulted in long-term solar cooking/drying and water purification programs. This program improves the environment and reduces health problems caused by contaminated water and open fire cooking. He returns each year to follow up for typically 3 months to ensure sustainability. He spends 2 more months each year in other developing countries.
He developed Friendly Appropriate Solar Technologies (FAST), a volunteer-only network, to implement sustainable projects in Nepal, Mongolia, Peru, and Bolivia.
The Dutch governments' Foreign Aid organization NMCP (Netherlands Management Cooperation Program) selected Allart as a Senior Volunteer Expert in solar technologies (solar cooking/drying/water pasteurization and Photo-Voltaic), business management, and process control. He was sent on three 3-months volunteer missions to Nepal and Mongolia.
He is an Honorary Advisor of Solar Cookers International (SCI). He is on the Board of BALI-I Company, a Sustainable Tourism Franchise start-up company that develops ECO-tourism centers and WEB-DOCTOR (remote medical care) capability.
Allart has authored and presented a variety of papers on Solar Cooking/drying/water pasteurization, Photo-Voltaics, Fuel wood reduction, Social impacts and Dissemination methods of appropriate technologies. He speaks at international conferences (World Conferences on Solar Cooking in Costa Rica, Peru and Italy). He has been interviewed in depth on Radio Green (Canada), Nepal TV, Radio Mongolia, PAX-TV (US) and US newspapers. He wrote articles in Home Power Magazine and SCI's newsletters.
Allart conducts research on different solar devices. He regularly lectures, conducts workshops and teaches principles of solar technologies and dissemination of these technologies for various organizations from the US, The Netherlands, Nepal, Mongolia, India and Madagascar.
He treks and climbs in remote regions, demonstrating solar cooking to the local population with his backpack solar trekker's cooker and his collapsible parabolic cooker.
Allart is an active Rotarian involved in Rotary World Community Services programs.
Allart (Al) Ligtenberg, Tel/Fax (65)948-8294 , aligtenber@aol.com
Friendly Appropriate Solar Technologies, www.bali-i.com/fast-solar
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