FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where do you install your solar projects?
We install photovoltaic modules (solar panels) on schools, libraries, healthcare centers, and other community buildings in the developing world.  We do not install solar electricity on individual houses or businesses – only on buildings that benefit the entire community.

How do you select your projects?
Our projects come to us from 1) a direct request from a community 2) a request from a Peace Corps volunteer that lives near a building that meets our criteria 3) a request by a partner organization that has a project that meets our criteria.

• Level of need (Is the community right next to the power lines?)
• Building location (Is there shade? Is the roof suitable for solar? Is the roof facing south?)
• Community organization (Is the community organized, dependable and responsible?)
• Level of interest (Does the community really want the solar system?) 
• Community requirements (Can the community meet the requirements listed below?)
• Available funds (Do we have the funds to install a system at the time of the request?)
• Location (Is the community accessible enough and in an area we are working in?)

What is the typical system size for your projects?
The typical system size ranges from 600W to 2kW.  All systems are battery-based off-grid PV systems with an inverter to give the building AC power.  We also install smaller battery-charging stations where a PV module can charge a lead-acid battery directly. 

Where do you get your solar equipment?
Much of our solar equipment is donated by generous companies in the solar industry and the rest is purchased at a discounted rate from distributors.  We have received donations from Schuco, SunPower Foundation, Trojan Battery, Conergy, AEE Solar, SolarWorld, and Midnight Solar.  We receive cash donations from individuals and companies which allows us to purchase the the equipment we need.  We purchase some items in the country we work in from a local solar company when that is more affordable than shipping the items from the US.

Where does your funding come from?
50% individual donations and community events
30% corporate sponsorships
20% Voluntourism fees

What is the community’s role in the project?

Before their installation:

• request the project directly or through a partner organization
• form an energy committee of local volunteers to oversee the project
• send us a letter from the Mayor, Ministry of Education or Health, or the building owner acknowledge and supporting the project
• men, women, and children from the community meet with Power to the People before the installation at the proposed project site

During the installation, the community:

• help install the solar system
• provide housing to the volunteers
• organize a celebration for the community on the last day of the prooject

After the installation:

• maintain the batteries by buying and adding distilled water when necessary
• clean the solar panels from time to time
• ensure no one throw rocks or plays baseball or soccer near the solar panels
• manage a small fund from fees collected for battery charging and cell phone charging and use the fund to buy distilled water to maintain the batteries
• contact the local solar company if anything is wrong with the system
• ensure only appropriate appliances are used in the library

What is Power to the People’s role in the project?

• site selection based on the criteria above
• ensuring that the community is organized and will be responsible for caring for and maintaining the system
• making sure the building is appropriate for solar panels (roof quality, materials, shading, etc.)
• fundraising in conjunction with partner organizations
• designing a custom PV sytem for each project
• procuring materials for the project both in the US and in Nicaragua
• volunteer recruitment for the project installation
• hiring a local solar company to lead the installation
• training the local community about solar energy and how to maintain the system
• leading the week-long trip of US volunteers to install the solar system
• monitoring the community’s use of the system over time
• staying in touch with the community to ensure the system is working properly

Who maintains the system and what does this involve?
The community is responsible for maintaining the system.  This involves adding distilled water to the deep-cycle batteries and cleaning the solar panels from time to time. If there is a problem with the system that the community cannot solve, they can contact us or the local solar company that was hired to install the system.

Is there any income generation from the system?
Many communities choose to charge a nominal fee for community members to charge their cell phones and car batteries.  These funds are managed by the local energy committee and are used to purchase distilled water for the batteries and replacement light bulbs.  Some communities have decided to use the funds to offer micro loans to community members in the meantime.  How much the community charges and how the funds are managed is up to the community, but we give them a set of recommended guidelines they can follow. 

How long do the batteries last?
The life of the batteries depends primarily on 1) the type of batteries used 2) how often and how much they are charged and discharged 3) how well they are maintained and 4) the climate.  Most of our projects use Trojan deep-cycle flooded lead-acid batteries, which can last 5-10 years. 

How long do solar panels last?
Mono and poly crystalline solar modules have a manufacturer’s warranty of 25 years, which means they were made to last much longer.  There are solar modules that have been producing electricity for more than 50 years.  In theory, a solar cell can go on producing electricity forever, but due to degradation of the module components (EVA, solder, the frame, the contacts, the back film) we expect the modules we install to last for at least 30 years.

Is theft a problem?
We have not had any problems with theft, although this is always a possibility when installing equipment that is more than ten times the annual salary of most people in the community.  We believe strongly in the importance of community involvement in our projects and we work with the communities to help them understand the short-term and long-term benefits of having solar energy in their community so they feel like the system belongs to them.

What type of training do you provide?
We work with the communities before, during, and after the installation.  Before we arrive with the solar equipment, we meet with the community and talk to them about solar energy.  We encourage them to think of ways having electricity can improve their lives, their schools, libraries, and health care centers.  We set expectations for the week of the solar installation.

During the installation, we teach the community members what appliances should and should not be used with the solar system, how to tell if something is wrong with the system, what to do if something is wrong and how to maintain the batteries and the solar panels.  We also encourage them to explore new ideas for ways they can use electricity to better their lives.  We work with the local energy committee to devise a system for collecting funds for cell phone and car battery charging that they can then use to maintain the system.   

How can I volunteer and be more involved?
If you live in the San Francisco or Los Angeles area you can join our local chapter and help us plan projects, raise funds, and fill in the gaps.  If you would like to travel with us to install a solar system, we have trips 2-3 times a year.  Please see our Voluntourism page for more details or email info@powertothepeople.org.