Experiencing Clean Energy in Argentina Shomik Verma

March 2017

La Quebrada del Toro. The Ravine of the Bull. The name evokes images of power, elegance, even intimidation. As I travelled through the Quebrada in the car with my supervisor and a few colleagues, I was surrounded by sights that aptly fit the name. Mountains towering above, rugged yet refined landscapes, and wind channeled through the ravine gusting at high speeds, throwing up dust.

Finally, we reached our destination and got out of the car, chilling morning winds blowing all around us as the sun barely shone above a mountain peak. We had stopped at a secluded house, surrounded by bare fields with a beautiful view of the mountains surrounding us. We were surveying the house for installation of a solar water heater. The Quebrada is a big tourist destination, as the Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds) passes through here, but tourists often skip over impoverished communities, such as the one we were at, for more conventional destinations. Installing solar water heaters provides an essential need for these communities to start hosting tourists, as hot water is a legal requirement for living accommodations.

We took measurements of the house and evaluated the strength of the house structure based on the materials used to build it. The homeowner and my supervisor had extensive discussions about what required materials would be to improve the structure of the house. I was happy to see significant input by the homeowner about which improvements would be viable given the living conditions and resources available. My supervisor looked around the house and pointed

out specific natural materials we could use to develop the house, showing commitment to sustainability while also reducing costs of materials.

Before travelling to the next location for evaluation, we made a quick stop by a nearby small, family-owned store of regional foods. To support the community, we all bought some snacks, including empanadillas (sweet versions of the more famous empanadas stuffed with cayote, a sweet squash) and tortillas.

The next location was a tourist accommodation building in construction. We talked with the landowners for a while about future plans and where the solar water heater could go to minimize wind damage while maximizing incoming thermal radiation. While my supervisor was ironing out some of the details, I took a few minutes to explore the building, and noticed solar panels on the side. Looking around the Quebrada, I noticed an absence of electricity power lines, something we take for granted in the U.S. These communities rely on sun power because they have no alternative; there is no infrastructure for electricity transmission.

“Where do these solar panels come from?” I asked my supervisor. “Are they especially cheap here? There seem to be a lot.”

“No, they are actually prohibitively expensive here,” he responded. “They are all donated from Germany, courtesy of the Alfarcito Foundation. We’re headed there next.”

Alfarcito was a wonderfully well-developed tourist hub, complete with a central church, gift shop, restaurant, and even a school for local children. As we looked around the hub, my supervisor was always commenting on the construction procedures of different buildings, as many took advantage of specific properties of natural materials for structural support, insulation, or aesthetic value.

After chatting some more with locals, it was time to head back home. It was El Día de los Gauchos, a celebration of an aspect of the rich cultural history of Argentina embodied by the courageous gauchos. Gauchos are an embodiment of national identity and a symbol against corruption, similar to cowboys. Streets were crowded with these horsemen, and several streets were closed off for huge festivals with lots of food and exhibitions.

Once I reached home, it took a while to process everything that had happened. I was so fortunate to be surrounded by people passionate about making concrete change in development of impoverished communities in a sustainable way. Every day, I learned more about how to improve quality of life in an economic and environmentally friendly way, while simultaneously getting to appreciate beautiful Argentinian landscapes. In just one day, I had experienced nature, energy, culture, and immense positivity. This day was one of the most rewarding experiences of my trip, and made me truly appreciate the opportunities provided through this internship.

FSD Interview Responses Shomik Verma

Salta, Argentina Amigos del Árbol, Bosques, y Parques Nacionales

What interested you in interning with FSD before you began your internship? FSD’s asset-based service sets it apart from other civic engagement organizations. Instead of focusing on outsiders telling the community what they need, FSD pays attention to community-based needs and provides resources to help the community achieve their own goals. Additionally, FSD’s wide variety of potential topics makes their influence even greater and more appealing. Instead of focusing on one specific area, FSD has several different opportunities, allowing them to send interns of different backgrounds to the same location. For example, although I interned at an environmental organization, I met people who worked with global health or economics organizations. Meeting people from different backgrounds all interested in international development was another appealing aspect of FSD.

Who was your host organization and what was your project?

My host organization was Amigos del Árbol, an environmental conservation NGO made up of mostly environmental engineers in Salta, Argentina. I worked on several different projects during my internship with this nonprofit. My main project was helping improve a nature reserve in the nearby villa San Lorenzo. I translated several documents and their website to help them reach a more global audience, and also helped more directly improve trails in the reserve by installing infrastructure such as steps and water barriers. On the side, I started coding an Android application for amateur birdwatchers to help them identify which bird they are looking at. For a few days, I also helped build a sustainable greenhouse out of giant cane and wood for a tree nursery. Another big project I worked on was planning installation of solar water heaters for impoverished communities, to improve their tourism prospects.

How has your life changed or been impacted since completing your FSD internship (Have you changed your area of study, or decided to go abroad again, etc.?)?

My last project about solar water heaters was particularly impacting for me. Once I came back to Duke, I became much more interested in solar thermal power as an alternative energy source. I have started a project developing a Smart Shelter for refugees as an engineering solution to a critical humanitarian crisis. This Smart Shelter is able to provide several amenities to inhabitants, such as electricity through photovoltaic solar panels and hot, clean water with a solar water heater and a greywater filtration device. My time with FSD helped me realize the potential of clean energy solutions in areas without access to traditional energy types, helping international development in sustainable ways.