A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or
a headache. - Catherine the Great
It was a dark and rainy afternoon in February when I left
Yorkshire in the North of England and set off for London to catch a flight
southwards. My destination was Trujillo on the North West coast of Peru where I
was to spend the next five weeks working as a volunteer with an organisation
called WindAid.
Clean
Energy
WindAid is an environmental development
organisation that brings electricity to isolated communities in Peru through
the manufacture and installation of wind turbines. Many rural communities in
Peru have no access to electricity for basic needs such as education and
healthcare.
Others have a limited and costly supply through diesel generators
which pollute the environment. Using simple technology, local labour and
materials and a passion for sustainable energy, WindAid, along with an army of
volunteers, are working to electrify isolated communities in Peru and provide
access to the modern facilities we take for granted.
Arrival
After three
flights and around 24hrs of travelling, I finally touched down, or rather
bumped down, in Trujillo. As I left the aircraft, I was hit by a very pleasant
blast of hot dessert air, a reminder that I’d left the cold English winter well
behind me. I made my way out of the tiny airport and with some relief spotted
the WindAid representative ready and waiting to greet me outside.
As we sped
towards the city in Snr. Abel’s taxi I immediately felt welcome. Despite the
fact that neither of us could speak each other’s language, Snr. Abel’s humour
was infectious and communication was somehow easy. Over the next few weeks I
would become very familiar with this warm Peruvian welcome.
A few hours
later I met Michael Verkamp, the WindAid founder who wasted no time in showing
me the local area including the beautiful resort town of Huanchaco and
introducing me to Peruvian delicacies of roasted goat, Taco Taco (a very tasty
rice dish) and of course Picso sour (the famous Peruvian spirit). It wasn’t
long before I felt like one of the family.
The Work
Begins
After a
weekend to acclimatise, it was time for me and fellow volunteer John to start
the real work. Monday morning began at 8.00am with a meeting of the WindAid
staff held in Spanish – nothing like complete immersion to improve one’s
language skills! It was a busy first day with a quick introduction to the
workshop followed by a trip to one of the local WindAid turbines to replace the
turbine blades.
I was
immediately impressed with the ingenuity and efficiency of the WindAid team.
Using limited resources and working into the dark we were able to dismantle the
9m high turbine, replace the blades and have it back up and generating again
within a few hours. My first taste of Peruvian engineering.
During my
time at WindAid, I had the opportunity to work at a variety of different sites
and to participate in a wide range of tasks including manufacture, installation
and repair. As a PhD researcher in wind energy, this exposure to a variety of
installations and aspects of the wind energy system was an invaluable
experience.
On the
Road
By the second
day we were already on the road travelling south through the spectacular desert
coast of Peru, on our way to our first turbine installation. After arriving
onsite we worked a full day and continued by torchlight after dark to complete
our first installation. The next day we returned to complete the electronics. It
was a great feeling to watch the blades spinning and see the only lights for
miles around flicker into life powered only by the wind.
During the
remainder of the week we visited a number of installations to make maintenance
checks stopping occasionally for the freshest Ceviche or fried fish from the
many beachside vendors along the Pacific coast. It was a great learning
experience to see how the resourcefulness of the team was able to overcome the
many engineering challenges faced in a developing country.
Solo en
Peru
A
particularly memorable incident occurred in small seaside town called Baranca.
Realising the wind resource at one of the installations was better than
previously thought; we needed to make a dump resistor to prevent the extra
power from overloading the system. After several hours searching the small
local town for supplies, we returned with two ceramic tiles, an electronic
cooking element and a metal tray.
The next
challenge was to find somewhere with electricity so we could drill the mounting
holes needed to make the resistor. Finally we discovered a road-side repair
shop with a small generator and after an hour or so of work on the pavement we
had a fully functioning dump-load resistor. During my time in Peru there were
many similar incidents, so much so that we coined the phrase ‘solo en Peru’
(only in Peru) in honour of the Peruvians’ ability to improvise and make the
best of the limited resources available.
Making
Turbines
Much of the
following two weeks were spent in the workshop learning how to make the turbine
components. The most complex process involves the blade manufacture where
through a number of refinements, WindAid have developed an extremely strong and
lightweight aerofoil. The manufacturing process is painstaking but very rewarding.
The
components of the generator system are all hand-made right down to the winding
of the coils for the stator. Being involved in these processes was a very
valuable insight into the functioning of a wind turbine system. My time at the
workshop was made particular pleasurable by the careful engineering
explanations given by Fernando as well as the cheerful banter and expert
guidance from Gean and Snr Abel.
During
down-time there was the opportunity to explore some of the archaeological sites
of Trujillo including the fascinating Pyramids built by the ancient Moche
people as well as some of the more contemporary night-time attractions!
Into the
Mountains
The final
part of my placement with WindAid was perhaps the most rewarding. Early one
morning we set off into the mountains along a winding road which quickly became
a dirt track. The road climbed slowly to 4000m through spectacular scenery,
before dropping down into the mountain village of Huamachuco. Our destination
was Escuela Democratica, the site of a recent Volunteer WindAid installation.
As soon as I
stepped out of the truck I could feel the effects of the altitude, a few steps
felt more like a sprint. The effects of the altitude were soon forgotten
however, this was picture postcard Peru! A place where women dressed in
colourful layered dresses and wide brimmed hats and men ploughed fields with
oxen, all against the amazing backdrop of the Andean mountains.
We were
visiting the school to install the electronic system for the wind turbine
inside the newly-built school building. By this time, I had learned enough to
make a real contribution to the installation. It was very rewarding to know
that our work there would help to improve the education and opportunities of
the local children.
Into the
Wild
The following
day we paid a scoping visit to what we hope will be one of the next WindAid
volunteer projects. A further 1.5 hours drive along dirt tracks into the
mountains lays the small pueblo of Aceituna.
The drive is
spectacular passing through huge swaths of eucalyptus trees which fill the air
with their aroma. Along the route we passed local people driving herds of sheep
or cattle, carrying huge bunches of corn or driving donkeys loaded with freshly
cut wood. This is a place where everyone is busy but busy at a slow pace,
walking for miles to move their cattle or to visit the local village.
After
crossing a river we finally reached Aceituna. The small community that live
there were extremely welcoming insisting we take bagfuls of fruit from their
orchards. A video of an operating WindAid turbine proved to be star attraction.
Many of the residents crowded around the tiny mobile phone screen to watch it
spinning.
A turbine
installation here could make a real difference. The proposed site is at the top
of a hill at the location of a small health post which serves the village. It
is the only healthcare available for miles around and when the river is in full
flow the community is effectively stranded. Without electricity, even medicines
cannot be kept cool and many basic medical procedures are not possible. After a
site assessment we reluctantly leave the community, many of whom have gathered
to wave us goodbye.
As we return
to Trujillo I am humbled to see how much it means to these communities to
simply have access to electricity, something that we take for granted every
day. Despite having very little, these communities work hard to survive with
dignity, displaying a real sense of gratitude for the help that’s offered them.
Farewell
All too
quickly my time with WindAid has passed but it’s been an unforgettable
experience. Not only for the practical skills I have gained but for the
awareness of the social impact that schemes such as this can have and for the
amazing people I have met along the way.
I would
encourage anyone who is considering volunteering with WindAid to take the
plunge. Not only will you help more people benefit from access to clean,
renewable energy, you will also have an unforgettable experience along the way!
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