Water Treatment Stations


Extremely effective, very simple, similar to many systems now used to keep spa pool water clean. A corona discharge ozone generator pumps out ozone and re-circulates it around a tank. The concentration hits 750 to 800 mV on the scale and it is held there for 5 minutes. The water pumps through a mazzei injector: a venturi valve designed to pull a vacuum and mix the ozone into the water stream - no chemicals or filters to replace. The ozone generator has a total capacity of 2 grams per hour from two separate 1 g/hr units. Monitored using an ORP meter and probe which gives a reading of the Oxidation and Reduction Potential in millivolts, this correlates to the ozone level in the water and automatically turns the system off when purification complete. Much less expensive than the systems that measure ozone directly, the system makes water safe from contamination from waterborne pathogens such as giardia and cryptosporidium. Ideal for contaminated sources of potable water that may otherwise require boiling but not a heavy duty system designed for water that is heavily contaminated with organic material. Organics create an ozone demand and removes the ozone before it can go to work on the pathogens. However it could be used as a final step after a filtration system on heavily polluted water. Villagers using this system use 1,000 litre containers and reporting treatment times of 90 minutes to achieve the desired 800 mV.


Village Water Shop


Do you live in a place with limited water? If so, you can use the tools here to help your community collect an extra supply and make it last longer. Customers can come to you or you can make regular deliveries. Start with a small rainwater collection system to collect the run off from your roof. Many places have more than enough water when it's raining but not enough later. A good catchment system helps level out these natural cycles. You can expand this to save rain that falls over a large area. We have great books with illustrated details for building rainwater catchment and water storage tanks with locally available materials. Add a well pump and keep your water supply steady during long stretches without rain. We have plans for how to make your own hand or solar pump. The cost of pumping systems typically increases with the amount of water required per day.

Start with what you can afford. No well? Another business opportunity might be to use small, inexpensive well drilling equipment that digs wells as deep as 60 meters. Purify the water to make sure it's safe and tastes good. Depending on the location, this could be a business in itself - even in an urban environment. According to a new report by the U.N. sponsored World Commission on Water for the 21st Century, one billion people worldwide do not have access to safe water. Water purification needs are different in almost every area. We can help you plan the most appropriate and cost-effective system for your unique situation. Now that you've harvested and taken care of a good water supply, help it last longer by encouraging or selling water saving appliances and fixtures. We have low-flow shower heads, urinals, no-water-use toilets, drip irrigation, and greywater systems for reusing water a second time. We also have super water-saving appliances. Not conserving our precious potable water supplies is a worldwide problem. The next development in your water business could be delivery. We have a great book on making your own delivery cart, you could make or buy a bicycle-powered version, or use a truck. Our collapsible tanks come in many sizes designed to fit into the back of a cart or vehicle. They're light weight and fold flat when not in use but hold up to 15142 liters (4000 gallons).

Here's what you'll need: - Rainwater Collection - save, treat, and store rainwater for future use - Water storage tanks - make your own storage from locally available materials - Hand and solar well pumps - keep your water supply steady in long stretches without rain - Well drilling equipment - inexpensive wells as deep as 60 meters - Portable tanks - easy delivery service - Water Purification - make sure your water stays clean and healthful - Pressure Pumps - easily move the water from place to place - Greywater Systems - treat and reuse water - Products to help save water - Solar Electric system - power pumps and purification equipment - cost depends on location and use


Solar Energy

All the benefits of solar systems can fall apart into frustration without good installation and proper maintenance. We've heard of systems installed with the solar panels in the shade or turned away from the sun. People frequently reverse polarity on expensive inverters and burn them up. Simple and easy-to-fix problems like a corroded battery terminal or a rodent-chewed wire, will prevent an expensive solar electric system from working properly. And although solar modules last more than 20 years, many systems in remote locations cease to function after just a year or two - often because of something as simple as a battery without water. The world needs thousands of solar installation and maintenance businesses. Lighting allows microentrepreneurs to extend their working day and generate more income. If you live in a remote area without conventional, centralized grid power or in a place without reliable power, there may be an opportunity to start a Solar Installation and Maintenance Business. Begin with a tool to evaluate potential sites like the Solar Pathfinder. Learn the math or get a software program like the Solar Worksheet to determine PV and battery sizing. Get a good book like Photovoltaics or Solar Electric Systems for Africa that takes you through the installation process step-by-step. You'll need a good meter like the Fluke 87 or at least an inexpensive Pocket Multimeter. Start with installing a small system for yourself, something you can live with, use everyday and learn from. You may want to make some of your own equipment like battery and inverter cables, mounts, power centers, and charge controllers.




Solar Laundromat


In unelectrified communities, women and girls can spend hours each week washing their family's clothes. If women are working outside of the home and girls are encouraged to go to school, there may be an opportunity to offer laundry services as a business. Machines that wash and spin clothes come in a variety of sizes and prices. Hand operated equipment is fairly inexpensive. A solar electric system adds quite a bit of cost, but also increases capacity while reducing the manual labor required. A rainwater catchment system can help supply the water, and a greywater recycling system will assure the highest water efficiency. Rent use of the machine(s) or do it yourself and charge extra. A good washing machine not only saves time and physical labor, it also helps clothes last longer, helps prevent disease transmission, conserves water supplies and prevents water pollution.
A good quality, horizontal axis washing machine cleans by pushing water through the clothes - you don't have the harsh, abrasive, rubbing action that wears fabrics thin starting holes. With a machine, you can use hotter water that kills germs and stops the spread of disease. Another benefit with this method is the ability to reuse the water. Since it's hot, you can use it to preheat incoming cold water or in cold climates circulate it in greenhouses through PEX pipe at the root zone of plants. You can expand in many ways. If you have already found a good way to heat and reuse hot water, it would be fairly simple to offer a hot shower or bath for your customers. While you're cleaning their clothes, they could work on their bodies. You could also combine your business with a small sewing shop. You will already have the cleaned clothes, you could fix tears and restore buttons while waiting for your clients to return.

Solar Ice Maker


Up to 1000 pounds of ice per day! Low cost and reliable source of ice for situations requiring 25 to 1000 pounds of ice per day (12-450kg). Ammonia absorption refrigeration technology was developed in the 19th century and is still used in industrial applications. Energy Concepts has adopted this technology to a machine which uses the sun as the only energy output. The particular advances in the design and configuration have resulted in a low cost and reliable method of making significant quantities of ice in areas without electricity. How it works... During the day the solar collector focuses the energy of the sun onto the ammonia generator in the collector trough. Solar heat distills pure ammonia vapor from the water-ammonia solution in the generator. The vapor condenses in the cooling coils and collects as liquid ammonia in the receiving tank in the evaporator.

At the end of the day, the user switches three valves from the Day to Night position to allow the ammonia to evaporate in the ice compartment, providing the refrigeration to freeze the water. The resulting vapor is absorbed back in the generator. Critical to the operation of Isaac is a passive thermosyphon that operates in the Night mode to remove the heat from the generator and allow the ammonia vapor to absorb into the solution at lower pressure and temperature. At the beginning of the day, the operator harvests the ice from the ice trays, operates a drain sequence to remove traces of absorbent from the evaporator, and places the unit back into Day mode to begin the next cycle. The solar collector is re-aimed weekly to follow the seasonal movement of the sun. Occasionally the solar collector should be rinsed with water to remove dust. The primary effort involved in operating the Isaac is filling the ice trays with water in the evening and removing the ice each morning. The valve operation only adds a few seconds to the tasks.


Battery Recharging Station


In remote areas, batteries represent infinite possibilities: light, music, education, tools, water, kitchen appliances, television, games, the list goes on and on. However, batteries are expensive and the solar systems required to recharge them are beyond many people's financial means. Research done by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows that even in very low income, remote areas people spend US$7 to US$10 per month on flashlight batteries and kerosene. For that amount or less, you could rent rechargeable flashlight batteries, deep cycle solar batteries, or a solar powered lantern or flashlight and include the periodic recharging service. If people already have batteries, you could charge a small amount for bringing them back up to a full charge. A microentrepreneur might choose to offer any of these services: solar lantern rental, flashlight battery recharging, deep cycle battery recharging, battery rental including necessary recharging, old battery reconditioning, battery sales, rental of DC, and battery-powered equipment Solar-powered battery rechargers can be customized to fit the most frequently used batteries in your area (for example, 120 AA batteries, 80 C batteries, 60 D, 40 9-Volt, or any combinations can be charged together in the same charger). We have special chargers and a reconditioning liquid for rejuvenating old, 'dead' 12V batteries. And, of course, a variety of solar electric systems for recharging various numbers of deep cycle batteries.

These items could help you get started: - 10 watt Flashlight Battery Charger - Rechargeable Batteries - Solar Lanterns - Solar Flashlights - Pulse Battery Reconditioning Chargers - Battery Liquid Reconditioner - Solar Electric System (depending on size and budget) - DC-powered GN/ACequipment


Villager Sun Oven with Trailer


Bake hundreds of loaves of bread per day, boil countless gallons of water, cook virtually anything quickly and in large volumes, sterilize large quantities of medical instruments. All with solar energy or propane. Generates temperatures over 500° F. With propane will operate night or day, rain or shine, 24 hours/day (2 propane tanks come with each oven).1 lb. of propane will run oven for 8 hours. Transported size is 5'10"h x 5'1"w x 5'1"l. Operating size with panels folded out is 9'6" h. Includes trailer.




Well Drilling and Pump Installation




We can't live without water. Providing more wells in remote areas can improve standards of living and possibly slow the disturbing trend toward urbanization. Simple well drilling equipment is a relatively inexpensive investment with far-reaching benefits. Beyond just drilling the well, you could install the pipe, pump and storage system. Learn about dowsing and ways to locate good water sources. Depending on well depth and amount of water needed, you could also learn how to make your own hand pumps from locally available materials. After you develop a business plan to provide this essential service, there may be funding sources or lenders interested in working with you.