StreamSide Chats aims to deepen the dialogue between international experts and local innovators in the field of sustainable hydro mini-grids. The new edition provides insights into the work of micro-hydro practitioners and shares first hand experiences about sustainable off-grid micro-hydro solutions.

Having kick-started the series with a discussion about the role that energy access could play in an inclusive COVID-19 recovery to build resilience against the economic and social effects of the pandemic, in this second episode HPNET takes a closer look at one of Southeast Asia’s best-case examples of micro-hydro off-grid solutions: Nepal.

Why is Nepal such an important driver in the field with one of the most dynamic micro-hydro programmes worldwide? Bikash Pandey, director of Clean Energy Winrock International, based in Washington D.C., and an expert in renewable energy in the Global South who also co-founded the micro-hydro sector in Nepal, provides us with an insight..

Subsequently, Bir Bahadu Ghale, founder and director of Hydro Energy Concern Pvt. Ltd. (Kathmandu), who received the renowned Ashoka Fellowship award, shares his longstanding experiences and the challenges he faced when electrifying several thousand rural households under demanding conditions. He provides valuable insights into grassroots innovation in off-grid energy solutions. With no previous experience, he developed his first hydro mini-grid in his hometown at the age of only 24.

Finally, the two speakers discuss different types of ownership models and ways in which energy practitioners can boost both energy access and sustainable energy solutions.

StreamSide Chats

Ashoka

Hydro Energy Concern Pvt. Ltd.

Clean Energy Winrock International

(english version)

Claudio Moreno will present a model of a solar food dehydrator with a complex heat conduction system that serves to dry all types of food products, especially those that need to maintain their sensory quality and protect their natural properties. This dehydrator has been adapted to work also with biogas, with the installation and adaptation to the system of a burner in the collector tray, which was prepared with two different compartments to capture the heat generated by the two types of energy source (solar and biogas), and a wind extractor, to facilitate the internal movement of air. 

Edmundo Rodriguez will make a presentation showing the development of the use of energy from biogas converted into energy for cooking, heating in the Andes and electricity in Peru, using biodigesters for family or domestic use.

(Versión en español)

En este webinar, dos ponentes presentarán la aplicación del biogás en el sector agrícola.
Claudio Moreno presentará un modelo de deshidratador solar de alimentos con un sistema de conducción de calor complejo lo que sirve para secar todo tipo de productos alimenticios, en especial aquellos que necesitan mantener su calidad sensorial y proteger sus propiedades naturales. Este deshidratador ha sido adaptado para funcionar también con biogás, con la instalación y adecuación al sistema de un quemador en la bandeja del colector, la que fue preparada con dos compartimientos diferenciados para captar el calor generado por los dos tipos de fuente de energía (solar y biogás), y de un extractor eólico, para facilitar el movimiento interno del aire.
Edmundo Rodriguez hará una exposicion que muestra el desarrollo del uso de la energía proveniente del biogás convertida en energía para cocina, calefacción en el Ande y energía eléctrica, en Perú, usando biodigestores de uso familiar o doméstico.

In collaboration with GFA Entec AG, a Swiss-based hydropower specialist, several workshops and training sessions were conducted by the conclusion of the project in 2019. Participants were equipped with the necessary skills to repair and maintain MHP plants independently, based on their previous technical skills as car mechanics or electricians. Since then, the training centre has become an established institution in the region for the maintenance of MHP systems. Five trained technicians take care of the existing MHP systems in the region and have already successfully repaired 30 MHP systems. In addition, the centre now provides equipment and spare parts and offers training for MHP operators in the Chitral river valley.

The financial sustainability of capacity-building initiatives can be challenging. In this case, to ensure a viable economic operation, the training centre supplemented its service portfolio by offering car repairs. This change to the original strategy underlines the importance of finding flexible solutions to ensure long-term sustainability.