Bicycle wheel – check.
Assortment of mirrors – check.
Ball of string – check.
Now create innovative green technology.
That’s exactly what a local Kenyan has done. Peter Irungu Mwathi has developed a solar concentrator that is spreading throughout the country to help farmers create heat without burning wood. He uses square mirrors arranged on a curving metal frame measuring 4×6 ft, and the concentrator reflects the sun’s heat into a container.
While the product currently costs around $250, one-third of the average monthly income in Kenya, Mwathi has implemented a payment plan with $62 installments. Five farmers have signed up for the solar concentrator with others planning to purchase the item like Ruth Gathii. Gathii plans to buy the concentrator to roast macadamia nuts which will allow her to charge more for roasted nuts rather than selling the product raw at $0.56 per kilogram.
Another Kenyan, Simon Mwacharo, has directed his focus to developing wind energy. He designs and installs wind turbines from raw materials like scrap metals at Craftskills Enterprises near
Subscribe to Alternative Energy