The Tools
The Tools
CSI is bringing the best and brightest minds from across all disciplines of engineering to build the tools necessary to deliver sustainable energy solutions to developing communities.
Read below about a few of the projects being pursued by the dedicated team of volunteers.
Wind Turbine Task Force
CSI is teaming with professors and students at Seattle University, University of Washington, and the Seattle chapter of Engineers Without Borders to build a small-scale wind turbine. The deployment of the wind turbine into rural Africa is projected for Summer 2011.
The wind-turbine is being designed out of materials which could be assembled in country with minimal instruction and training. The output of electricity would be stored in “Community Charging Stations” where members of local and surrounding villages could come to refill their home batteries. (Current News)
Solar Energy Solutions
The Sirona Cares Foundation (Sirona) and the Community Solutions Initiative (CSI) are developing and deploying sustainable businesses in Haiti to provide renewable electricity to 1 million Haitian people. This program is centered on giving Haitians the ability to earn a living by providing electricity to their community. This one act can improve commerce, reduce poverty and bring much needed electricity to rural areas. The CSI has brought together highly trained engineers to design a generating system that is easy to deploy, operate and maintain. Together, the CSI and Sirona have developed sustainable business models around this generating system. Sirona is now working with its partners in Haiti to deploy these models and integrate sustainable businesses into communities.
The businesses will use a combination of renewable electricity generators (principally, solar) to provide a battery charging service. (Current News)
Pedal Powered Generation
CSI is teaming with IncSys to build an affordable and easy to operate pedal powered generator. The project is called Power2Light and will allow any community member to assemble and run a micro-generation business out of their home.
With 10 hours of pedaling, energy can be created to light over 100 homes. (Current News)
