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Project title: Centro de Energías Renovables para Comunidades Altoandinas (CERCA).

Principal investigators: Dr. Walter D. Leon-Salas, wleonsal@purdue.edu and Mauricio Postigo, mpostigom@unsa.edu.pe

Many Andean communities lack connection to the electric grid due to their remote location, difficult geography and because they represent a small market. This lack of reliable supply of electric energy hinders the economic development of these communities and precludes them from achieving their full potential and contribution to the regional economy. Without access to reliable electric power, these communities have to rely on fossil fuels (kerosene) for cooking and heating. When access to fossil fuels becomes difficult due to transportation or cost issues, these communities have to spend time and energy collecting organic material, such as wood or animal waste to produce fire. Moreover, burning these types of fuels inside their houses results in toxic gases that are detrimental to their health. Furthermore, without connection to the electric grid, these communities cannot use appliances or electric machinery to process or conserve products that they may produce such as milk, grains and meat. Inadequate lighting and connection to the Internet, means that their children do not have the same opportunities to study as children in cities have.

In this project, we propose to create a center, co-located with the CIBCI station, dedicated to research and education in renewable energy. This center, which will be called Centro de Energías Renovables para Comunidades Altoandinas (CERCA), will serve as a field laboratory for the development and test of state-of-the-art technologies in renewable energy and to educate and train students and people from nearby communities in the design, installation and service of renewable net-zero energy systems for homes and small businesses. The energy generated by the Center will supply the electricity needs of the CIBCI station. More importantly, the proposed Center will develop cost-effective and scalable technologies suitable for nearby high-altitude communities.

Activities that will be mostly performed at the CIBCI station and at the UNSA and Purdue campuses are:

1. Design a distributed co-generation system (Hybrid photovoltaic-wind) to generate electricity at the CIBCI station, which will be used in a greenhouse to maintain a desired micro-climate using heaters, humidifiers and LED lights. The electricity will also be used to power appliances, indoor heating, lighting and other loads such electric shower, computer networks and Internet connection.
2. Generation of mechanical motion from wind to aerate a trout farming pool at the CIBCI station. This will lead to the production of a low-cost solution that can be utilized in other trout farms.
3. Design of thermal systems optimized for high-altitude Andean conditions aimed at production of a low-cost system to heat houses of small Andean communities and improve their living conditions.
4. Design of an improved biodigester for methane production at high altitude. The innovation considers insulation of the digester and insertion of a heater inside it.
5. Implement a remote monitoring system using IoT and satellite technologies, which will also provide Internet access to the station and other Phase 3 projects needing an Internet connection.
6. Outreach to nearby communities through transference of energy technologies developed and tested at CERCA.