Evaluation of Rural Electrification Projects in El Salvador

For more information, contact Alex Tung (tungsten@stanford.edu)

Sponsors: University Rotary Club, Fundación Intervida (http://www.intervida.org)

Coordinator: Office of Engineering and Public Service, Stanford University (http://soe.stanford.edu/publicservice)

Project Description:

This program will enable one Stanford engineering student to volunteer in a rural electrification project in El Salvador. Such projects are generally divided into four stages: preparation, design, implementation, and post-project impact assessment. This pilot program will focus on the preparation and design aspects, with the last two stages being left for subsequent visits in 2007. The program is coordinated by the Office of Engineering and Public Service in the School of Engineering at Stanford University, and is sponsored by the University Rotary Club in Palo Alto and Fundación Intervida, a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Barcelona. Intervida oversees a number of projects, but is at the early stages of developing its rural solar program. Therefore, the student will have input into a new project of a well-established NGO. Intervida is also beginning projects in Bolivia, Guatemala, and Peru. This project will be implemented in the municipality of Berlin in the state of Usulutan in El Salvador and will affect three communities, including five student centers. By the end of the project installation, 180 families or about 1000 people will benefit from the program.

The student will spend approximately three weeks in the field in El Salvador. In the first week, he or she will work with trained field personnel to interview the village population and obtain basic information about demographics, wealth classifications, community mapping, and energy usage. In the second two weeks, the student will assess different possibilities for implementing distributed energy sources in the village. This stage will entail online research to determine the renewable energy resources available, as well as more detailed market surveys to inform the design of the best system to meet the needs of the population. The student will work with Intervida engineers to design a number of possible solutions on commercially available software such as HOMER (http://www.nrel.gov/homer/) and include all economic aspects in each system design.

Goals of Program:

• Student gains an introduction to international development by working with a well-established NGO on a new project
• Intervida is able to leverage the expertise of a student for its pilot projects
• All parties work toward developing a rural electrification model that helps the community and can be subsequently replicated in other rural areas

Student Deliverables:

• Report on assessment findings and impact on design approach
• Descriptions of possible system designs, including costs, tradeoffs, etc.

Student Skills Desired:

• Knowledge of and experience in photovoltaic system design, for both on-grid and isolated off-grid distributed systems
• Knowledge of renewable energy resources
• Competency in general and engineering Spanish language
• Strong communication skills
• Willingness to live and work in rural settings
• Strong interest in international development
• As this is a pilot program, adaptability to changing conditions and patience for unforeseen circumstances will be key attributes

Logistics:

• Airfare will be covered by the University Rotary Club
• Ground costs, including lodging, transportation, and food, will be covered by Intervida
• Other costs, including personal items and entertainment, will be supplied by the student
• The program will take place during September of 2006, dependent on schedules of the students and other partners involved.
• Student will work for three weeks in the field, but some preparation and background research will be required prior to going to El Salvador. Some work may also be required to finalize designs upon the student’s return.
• Student will need to obtain the recommended immunizations and vaccinations prior to departure. 

Application Procedure:

• Email a CV and brief (one page) cover letter to Alex Tung (tungsten@stanford.edu), Jerry Torrance (torrance@ix.netcom.com), and William Grindley (wgrindley@attglobal.net) describing your interest in this project, background and experience, and skills that you think you can contribute. Please put “El Salvador Project Application <name>” in the subject line
• Please include in your application email a phone number and email address where you can be reached after June 14.
• Deadline for Application Submission: Wednesday, June 14, 2006
• Applicants may be contacted for phone interviews after the deadline
• Final selection by June 30, 2006