{"id":60347,"date":"2020-06-29T12:31:50","date_gmt":"2020-06-29T15:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=60347"},"modified":"2021-11-24T10:46:01","modified_gmt":"2021-11-24T13:46:01","slug":"the-sustainable-favela-networks-solar-working-group-debates-is-solar-energy-in-favelas-possible-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=60347","title":{"rendered":"‘Is Solar Energy in Favelas Possible?’ Debated by Rio’s Sustainable Favela Network [VIDEO]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This is our latest article on Covid-19 and its impacts on favelas<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and in the series of Teach-Ins on Covid-19 in favelas<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

On June 10,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the Sustainable Favela Network\u2019s (SFN)<\/a>* Solar Energy Working Group held an online teach-in “Is Solar Energy in Favelas Possible?”<\/a> Nine participants shared their experiences with an online audience of more than 100 people on Zoom, debating everything from technical information for installing solar panels in favelas to direct benefits for residents.<\/span><\/p>\n

The roundtable discussion featured: Nat\u00e1lia Chaves, environmental scientist and member of the <\/span>Rede Brasileira de Mulheres na Energia Solar <\/span>(MESoL<\/a>, the <\/span>Brazilian Network of Women in Solar Energy); Hans Rauschmayer, specialist in solar energy from Solarize<\/a>; Ot\u00e1vio Alves Barros, president of the Residents’ Association of Vale Encantado<\/a>, in Alto da Boa Vista<\/a>; Adalberto Almeida, cofounder of RevoluSolar<\/a> in the communities of Morro da Babil\u00f4nia<\/a> and Chap\u00e9u Mangueira<\/a>, in Rio\u2019s South Zone<\/a>; Eduardo Avila, executive director of RevoluSolar; Henrique Drumond, cofounder and CEO of Insolar<\/a>; Ver\u00f4nica Moura, Insolar ambassador in Santa Marta<\/a>, in the South Zone; Elma Maria da Silva de Alleluia, president of the NGO SER Alzira de Aleluia<\/a>, in Vidigal<\/a>, also in the South Zone; and Alessandra Bi\u00e1, who leads the <\/span>Escola Libert\u00e1ria de Artes <\/span>(ELA, the <\/span>Liberatory School of Arts<\/a>) in a traveling minibus that uses a solar panel to generate power, circulating through Complexo da Mar\u00e9<\/a>, in the North Zone<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The speakers had the opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss the main challenges for the adoption of solar energy in Rio\u2019s favelas. They revealed how their initiatives already provide practical examples of successes and how sustainable strategies can be combined and expanded to other communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chaves mediated the conversation and began her presentation highlighting the importance of energy derived from less environmentally harmful sources, like solar. She added that, to achieve this transition to cleaner energy, \u201cwe must include social responsibility and diversity when we talk about sustainability.\u201d Chaves pointed to the United Nations<\/a>‘\u00a0Sustainable Development Goals<\/a> (SDGs) as guidance for the fulfillment of three important goals: access to affordable and clean energy (SDG #7); inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities (SDG #11); and the fight against climate change (SDG #13).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Possible Experiences<\/b><\/h3>\n

Rauschmayer, a pioneer in the promotion of solar energy in the city of Rio de Janeiro, emphasized the importance of the Sustainable Favela Network\u2019s Solar Energy Working Group, which brings together different experiences, reaping benefits from local to federal levels. He explained the technical aspects of constructing solar infrastructure and how these are handled in the processes and partnerships of his business, Solarize, whose main objective is to train specialized <\/span>workforces<\/span>. Rauschmayer pointed to an increase in this sector in Brazil, noting that \u201cwe have more than 300,000 solar installations since 2013, creating more than 100,000 jobs, and we still have more potential.\u201d He cited the example of the Galp\u00e3o Bela Mar\u00e9<\/a> exhibition space, in Complexo da Mar\u00e9, which, after installing panels, has begun saving an approximate R$20,000 (US$3,739) per year.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the subject of democratizing solar energy in the favelas<\/a>, Henrique Drumond from Insolar addressed how social businesses can focus on inclusion and facilitating access to this service in conjunction with the provision of environmental benefits. \u201cWhen you let someone generate their own energy, they can save on their energy bill and invest in the wellbeing of their family, in better food, education, etc.\u201d He finished off explaining how the partnerships are collaborative: \u201cwe talk with local leaders, we look to bring the training so that the residents themselves can carry out the installation, giving the maximum opportunity for them to set up their own business and take the technology and the knowledge for themselves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Drumond cited Santa Marta<\/a> to exemplify how collaboration can grow and generate <\/span>scalability<\/span>. \u201cWe started with a pilot project in Santa Marta at the Creche Mundo Infantil daycare center<\/a>,” said Drumond. “The second phase is local expansion in partnership with residents, including funding and donations. The last stage is democratization, when it gets to the families.\u201d Moura, an ambassador for Insolar in Santa Marta, emphasized that community leadership is important: \u201cThe residents did the research and the people decided which institutions would participate in the pilot project. We thought about it and built it together; the community is an important part of that renovation. We believe that other favelas can also have access to solar energy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

See featured slides here<\/a>:<\/h3>\n