Pico Hydropower Pico Hydropower Franchises, A Test bed in Franchises, A Test bed in

Rural HondurasRural Honduras

Elizabeth LemusElizabeth Lemus

Mentor: Brian ThomasMentor: Brian Thomas

BackgroundBackground Engineers with a Mission Engineers with a Mission

BU Student organization formed in 2004BU Student organization formed in 2004 Several projects in Kenya, Honduras, ArmeniaSeveral projects in Kenya, Honduras, Armenia

Many people respond to poverty with Many people respond to poverty with charitable (or socialized) solutionscharitable (or socialized) solutions

““Community owned” means “no one owned”Community owned” means “no one owned” Switched to for-profit to harness power of Switched to for-profit to harness power of

capitalismcapitalism

Q: Capitalism? Profit? Isn’t that Q: Capitalism? Profit? Isn’t that ungodly? How does this match Baylor’s ungodly? How does this match Baylor’s Mission? Mission?

A: The Christian mandate is to serve the A: The Christian mandate is to serve the poor may be best accomplished using poor may be best accomplished using business!business!

Research GoalResearch Goal

• GoalGoal Determine best technical practices and Determine best technical practices and

corresponding optimal business models for corresponding optimal business models for bringing electricity to rural communities of bringing electricity to rural communities of developing countries developing countries

Question: Why Energy?Question: Why Energy?

Energy has the ability to help people Energy has the ability to help people in many ways:in many ways:• MonetarilyMonetarily• Environmentally Environmentally • SociallySocially

Energy, specifically electricity, Energy, specifically electricity, has has MONETARYMONETARY “power” “power”

Generate income for villagers Generate income for villagers whowho

own electricity franchiseown electricity franchise start other micro businesses using start other micro businesses using

electricityelectricity• Such as corn grinding, Such as corn grinding, • ice making, ice making, • laundromats?laundromats?

Attract outside investors who Attract outside investors who can help us scale up to hundreds can help us scale up to hundreds of systemsof systems

Energy, specifically electricity, Energy, specifically electricity, has has ENVIRONMENTALENVIRONMENTAL “power” “power”

Eliminate kerosene-burning Eliminate kerosene-burning lanternslanterns• Expensive because inefficient user Expensive because inefficient user

of energyof energy• Poor quality of lightPoor quality of light• Reduce greenhouse gases and price Reduce greenhouse gases and price

volatility associated with fossil fuelsvolatility associated with fossil fuels Eliminate improper flashlight Eliminate improper flashlight

battery disposalbattery disposal

Energy, specifically electricity, Energy, specifically electricity, has has SOCIALSOCIAL “power” “power”

Improve education by enabling Improve education by enabling children to do homeworkchildren to do homework

Improving health by reducing Improving health by reducing fumes and empowering health fumes and empowering health clinicsclinics

Give people hope!Give people hope!

HydropowerHydropower Abundant in rainy, mountainous, Abundant in rainy, mountainous,

Honduras Honduras Some cultural acceptance of Some cultural acceptance of

hydro power already hydro power already • national grid has several multi-national grid has several multi-

megawatt facilitiesmegawatt facilities RenewableRenewable Less expensive than solar or Less expensive than solar or

diesel in long term ($/W)diesel in long term ($/W)

Research and Design Tasks

Design “Civil Works”Design “Civil Works” Design distribution gridDesign distribution grid

• Test circuit breakersTest circuit breakers• GPS receiverGPS receiver• Google EarthGoogle Earth• Transmission line analysisTransmission line analysis

Business and legal requirementsBusiness and legal requirements

“Civil Works”Water Directing Structure

Civil Works Constructed

Concrete footings

anchored in boulders

Energy Flow

63 liters/second

10 ft vertical drop

770 Watts output powerHydrogenerator

efficiency 42%

The Powerhouse

Grid Design

Grid Deployment

Circuit Breaker Testing

Current vs. Trip Time1 Amp Circuit Breaker

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0 5 10 15 20

Time (sec)

Curr

ent

(A)

Current vs. Trip Time1/2 Amp Circuit Breaker

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

0 5 10 15 20

Time (sec)

Curr

ent

(A)

Danta UnoDanta Uno

Before

After

Future goalsFuture goals

• Replace meters with electronic circuit Replace meters with electronic circuit breakersbreakers

• Franchise DevelopmentFranchise Development Cost reduction technologiesCost reduction technologies Business practices refinementBusiness practices refinement

• Work with other organizationsWork with other organizations Inter American Development BankInter American Development Bank AHPPER (Honduran small renewable energy AHPPER (Honduran small renewable energy

association)association) AIDG (Appropriate Infrastructure Development AIDG (Appropriate Infrastructure Development

Group, Guatemala, MIT)Group, Guatemala, MIT)