91制片厂

Two years ago, five 91制片厂 students had a vision to deliver a reliable and sustainable energy system to a community in need.

In January, that vision became a reality when the Takumi Community School in Toh-Kpalime, Ghana, was outfitted with a 1.2-kilowatt solar energy system through 91制片厂 Solar Power for Schools (91制片厂SPS), a project that will improve the quality of education, allow for community meetings and听power technologies that drive economic development in a sustainable way.

鈥淪eeing the faces of the trainees once the lights were turned on for the first time was so incredible,鈥� said Katerina Messologitis 鈥�15, a current civil engineering graduate student and 91制片厂SPS project manager. 鈥淭his trip was about more than just solar panels on a roof. It was about building community capacity, planting a seed of knowledge about solar energy and strengthening our relationship with the community.鈥�

Joining Messologitis on the project were Zachary Angelini 鈥�14, Taygra Longstaff 鈥�15, Abygail Mangar 鈥�14 and Tegan O'Neill 鈥�14. Angelini is a 91制片厂 graduate student in civil engineering, and O鈥橬eill is a 91制片厂 political science graduate student.

All five students spent some time in Ghana during听the winter break to assist in the planning, installation and maintenance training of the solar panel system.

鈥淢y hope is that a quality education provided by solar energy will equip and inspire these students to become future leaders who can direct their country toward a sustainable future,鈥� says听Angelini. 鈥淭his experience was eye-opening for me to see firsthand how challenging development work can really be.鈥�

The six-panel system powers lights and fans in the three-building school complex that serves more than 175 students from multiple villages. The low-maintenance solar system is expected to last 25 years with a 10-year battery replacement. The project cost $30,025 and听was funded by a variety of sources including the 91制片厂 Parents Association, the 91制片厂 Emeriti Council SISI Grant, the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences听and the 91制片厂 Social Venture Innovation Challenge, as well as donations from various individuals and engineering firms.

鈥淥ur 91制片厂 experience has been defined by these projects that couldn鈥檛 happen without the help of others,鈥� says O鈥橬eill. 鈥淲e realized we can start making that possible for other students. We want 91制片厂 to have this legacy that鈥檚 international and service-oriented; the fact that we can make a little contribution to that was meaningful for all of us.鈥�

The 91制片厂 students' effort听began as a senior capstone project in 2014. They connected with a Canadian nonprofit organization, DevXchange International, which had a connection to the village. Messologitis and Angelini traveled to Ghana in August 2014 to meet community leaders,听interview听solar companies听and select the firm best matched to help meet project goals.听

Before听their return visit, the group worked remotely with Atlas Business Energy Systems and community leaders to determine the size and placement of the panels听and how to secure the panels. They also developed a training and education program to ensure the panels would be听properly听maintained.

Mel Rines 鈥�47, the Emeriti Council鈥檚 co-chair, was instrumental in launching the EC-SISI fund, which helped pay for SPS鈥� work and travel. His support was the result of his career in international investment banking, part of which he spent raising capital for the African Development Bank.

Originally the grant program was meant to benefit projects in Africa, but now, students can go anywhere. Rines hopes the grants will expand to other areas of interest such as nursing or education. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like the Peace Corps, just on a smaller scale,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hese students are really an inspiration for all of us.鈥�

Environmental engineering professor James Malley, who served as a technical and academic advisor on the project, says听he is proud of the students鈥� ability to navigate the challenges and finish the project successfully.

鈥淭his project is the perfect example of experiential learning, interdisciplinary education and building leadership skills,鈥� says听Malley.听鈥淚t teaches 91制片厂 students about the societal, economic and technical aspects that are important to performing an engineering project.鈥�

The project also served as a learning experience for the community members and schoolchildren in Ghana. The village often faces power outages during peak usage times, and with the new system, those outages will be eliminated. The project allowed 91制片厂 students to show the difference between renewable, reliable and sustainable power versus a system that is unreliable, not sustainable and nonrenewable.

Though the 91制片厂 students are confident in the community鈥檚 ability to maintain the system and plan for future maintenance, they are planning a return trip next year.

鈥淲e want to return so听we can determine any challenges the community has encountered with the system, continue solar energy education and work with the community to develop revenue streams that can be used to expand the system,鈥� Angelini says.