AMANECER

Engineers for a Sustainable World

Photo Gallery
Trips to Nicaragua 2006-2008

Trip Attendees: (click bolded link for description of trip)
Winter 2008: Shane Rothermel, Nick Chisholm, Tim Bond
Summer 2007: Nadia Siles
Spring 2007: Andrew Heier, Tony Szozda, John Erickson, Gillian Paul, Sarah Allen, Tim Bond
Summer 2006: John Erickson
Spring 2006: Avi Guter, Morgan Rog, Rachel Martin, John Erickson, Tim Bond

Click the thumbnail for a larger image:

 

 

Winter 2008
Shane Rothermel, Nick Chishom and Tim Bond attended the Solar Culture Course in Managua and Sabana Grande. The course included lectures, discussions and practical exercises on Photovoltaic Panels, Box style Solar Cookers and other alternative energy technologies as applied in rural Nicaragua. The course began in Managua with a tour of the Grupo Fenix headquarters and discussions of the many projects that Grupo Fenix is involved with and coordinating in cooperation with UNI (Universidad Nacional Ingeniera). All course attendees stayed in the homes of Grupo Fenix employees or members while in Managua. We traveled to Sabane Grande, about 4 hours by bus north of Managua on the main road to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The course continued with classes and practical exercises on PV panels, solar cookers, adobe making and building and biodigesters. All class attendees stayed and lived with families of members of Las Mujeres Solares de Totogalpa in Sabane Grande during the 5 days in Sabane Grande. The class spent one day at an ecotourism ranch near Esteli and returned to Managua for a day before returning to our homes.

 

Summer 2007
Nadia Siles spent August in Managua and Sabane Grande working with Grupo Fenix and Las Mujeres Solares de Totogalpa repairing cookers and expanding their use in the community.

 

Spring 2007
Andrew Heier, Tony Szozda, John Erickson, Gillian Paul, Sarah Allen and Tim Bond were part of a cooperative design and building exercise during Spring Break 2007. The group traveled to Managua on Saturday, arriving late in the afternoon. Members stayed with families of Grupo Fenix employees. They attended a tour of SuniSOLAR, a Photovoltaic Panel manufacturer in Managua that began as a project of engineering students at UNI (Universidad Nacional Ingenieria) working with Grupo Fenix. Sunday was spent traveling to and enjoying a stay at Roca de Oro, near Leon. Monday through Thursday were spent traveling to and from Sabana Grande and working with the members of Las Mujeres Solares de Totogalpa building two new solar cookers. The cookers included modifications to the previous design offered by both groups. The students offered some changes in the construction of the double glazing assembly that allowed easier construction and maintenance and less likelihood of glass failure. Las Mujeres offered a significant change in interior box design that increased the durability of the cooker and the overall quality of insulation. Both design changes were built into two new cookers during the week in Sabana Grande. The group returned to Mangua on Thursday and presented a seminar (in spanish) to members students and faculty at UNI.

 

Summer 2006
John Erickson spent the summer building, maintaning and repairing solar cookers in Sabana Grande.

 

"Spring 2006
Avi Guter, Morgan Rog, Rachel Martin, John Erickson and Tim Bond traveled to Manauga on the Saturday of Spring Break in 2006. The group arrived in the late afternoon and moved in with families of employees of Grupo Fenix. The group visited Volcan Masaya and the city of Masaya on Sunday. Monday through Friday were spent traveling to and working in Sabana Grande. The team members stayed with and ate with families of members of Las Mujeres Solares de Totogalpa. Mid day meals were provided by the members of Las Mujeres... Two cookers were constructed during the week. The members of Las Mujeres ... led the construction. The group worked through the week, returning to directly to the airport in Managua on Satruday.