Expanding Energy Access & Knowledge in Peru

Dear GlobalGiving Donors,

The past four months have flown by here in sunny Lobitos! That means it’s time to share the latest updates from our renewables project: ‘Expanding Energy Access and Knowledge in Peru’. In our last report, we shared our ongoing maintenance work on our PV systems for medical centres and individual households, and announced a brand new uninterruptible power system for the Buenos Aires Medical Centre in Piura Province. Thanks to the brilliant work of our dedicated staff, and of course, our volunteer interns, we are proud to detail the further progress that has been made.

Free Energy Consultations and Maintenance

Providing a power supply is of course the most important thing, but to ensure this is sustainable both economically and environmentally for our marginalised communities is a different story. That’s why our renewables team has been busy carrying out free energy consultations for community members in Lobitos, identifying areas where energy can be saved, as well as helping generate the maximum possible, by moving PV systems to the optimal position on the roof.

We have also inspected the 24 modules on the PV system for the Talara Medical Centre, and the 4 modules for the Lobitos Medical Post, giving them a deep clean to ensure optimum efficiency, and meeting with the staff to ensure all their needs are being met. As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure the highest standards, we are on the lookout for things like broken sockets - issues that may seem small, but can hinder the optional function of the system. Together, we can solve energy insecurity!

The Energy Course in Schools Project

In our last report, we introduced you to our Energy for the Future in Schools Project, a comprehensive course focused on energy and sustainability skills offered in local schools, that will see students undertake practical instruction and work on solar PV systems. We have now chosen the ten schools we will work with, and conducted a site visit to four of them. This program will be offered to secondary school students and young adults and will consist of 3 pillars: an Energy Foundation Course, a hands-on Energy Lab, and PV system installation. We profoundly believe that education is the foremost tool in community empowerment and the basis for sustainable social development, and hope that by equipping the next generation with these in-demand skills, we can make some contribution to increasing employability and lifting local communities out of the poverty trap - a cycle whereby low educational attainment reinforces economic hardship. Improved access to education, particularly in rural and marginalised communities like ours, has been shown to significantly reduce poverty levels over time. We hope to start training teachers in October 2025 and launch the full course at the start of the new school year in March 2026.

Buenos Aires Medical Centre

As mentioned in our last report, work on the new resilient uninterruptible power system for the Buenos Aires Medical Centre has been progressing. This region in the Morropon district suffers from long power outages several times a year, 20% of which can be attributed to the faulty electrical grid, a common instance in rural Peru. Therefore, our solar PV system will eliminate reliance on this and allow for healthcare and medication storage to continue around the clock. We are excited to announce that we have finalised the design for this system, and that we are currently purchasing materials to implement the project within the next 2 months. We are delighted that, in collaboration with the Fondation Nexans, Indeco by Nexans and Huemura, we will be able to make such a difference in the lives of the 10 000 urban residents that rely on this medical centre.

Looking ahead

We aim to continue our program of regular maintenance and check-ins wherever we have an impact, be that in an individual household, or a community medical centre. Furthermore, given the success of our resilient medical centre model, we wish to further expand our tried-and-tested technology to another region, this time outside our home region of Piura. We have chosen Cajamarca for our next resilient medical centre project, where we are currently reaching out to stakeholders, and have hired a coordinator. Stay tuned for more exciting news!

A Heartfelt Thank You

Of course, none of this progress would be possible without the support of our generous donors and funders. We can only truly touch the lives of vulnerable people across rural Peru with your help, and are deeply grateful for your ongoing commitment and contributions that mean we can continue on this journey together. 

Once again, thank you.

Andres Bustamante