Quetzaltenango, Guatemala may not be the first place one looks to find progressive technology that is environmentally friendly. However, a student design team from UC-Berkeley has built water heaters that could have far ranging effects in the developing world.These heaters are solar powered, mounted on rooftops and most importantly are affordable for low income residents. Water heaters that have already been installed are having an immediate impact and will be mass-produced on a local level, according to the team.
Access to technology is limited in the third-world and advancements like this could have far ranging effects on stimulating local economic growth. Kenneth Armijo, a Berkeley graduate student currently in Guatemala believes that this project "is a crucial step to not only integrate technologies into the third world for beneficial resources, but to make these resources available sustainably," and the goal is to perfect the technology and bring it to other communities throughout the developing world.
These students and their low-cost, efficient, solar powered design represent the practical application of environmentally-friendly energy and display that American ingenuity is alive and well. For more click here and for some footage of the team check this out.
written by Sam Madison
via Act Green Blog
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