Educational Center for promotion of Renewable Energy, Ecotourism and Heritage Preservation

3. Educational Center for promotion of Renewable Energy, Ecotourism and Heritage Preservation

30. Why do we choose • Renewable Energy? • Social / Economical reasons: • - Easter Island location (high transport costs) • - Take advantage of the Natural Resources available in the Island in a sustainable way • Environmental reasons: • - Reduce pollution and CO2 emissions (market!) • - Manage waste inside the Island • 3. Other : • - Promote a new way of tourism (ECO-TOURISM) • - Reliability of the energy source

31. Advantages and Drawbacks advantages ... clean no fossil fuels  cheap operation  no transport politically accepted ... drawbacks  high investment  not mature tech.  reliability  Visual & eco impact  complex tech.

32. Actual Stage: diesel generators • Very old  high maintenance costs or replacement • Fuel is very expensive (shipping)  electricity bill unacceptably high • Not reliable • Pollution. CO2, SO2, NOx emissions • Easy to operate, can be run by the islanders • Mature technology (no surprises)

33. Alternative: solar photovoltaic • Still developing. Expensive. • Easy to operate, and low maintenance costs. • Low Efficiency. A very extense area should be covered to provide enough energy. Visual impact. • Depends on weather conditions. Backup system. • Considered in our “single house upgrading” for houses in rural areas. Depends on how the technology improves.

34. Alternative: solar photovoltaic

35. Alternative: wind power • Average wind speed very low (4 m/s) • Wind direction is not fixed (control tech) • The energy is not provided continuously. Need for backup system to be reliable. • Huge area required. (wind turbines must be separated) • Best location: coasts (Moais location). Very high visual/ecological impact.

36. Alternative: wind power

37. Alternative: tidal / wave power • Highest initial investment • No data about the difference between high/low tide (must be ad least 10 meters) • Sea level is changing due to global heating. • Location: coast (Moais location). Very high visual impact. It is a very huge building work. • Ecological impact: fishing

38. Alternative: tidal / wave power

39. Alternative: biomass • Not very expensive to install • Waste can be used to provide energy • Not enough resources to run the island. (it can be used together with other source of energy) • Forrest must be kept as it is now (island history!) • Emissions of CO2 in the combustion process (electricity production in biomass plants) • In our project we use human / cow waste to produce biogas for cooking.

40. Alternative: biomass

41. Alternative: solar thermal energy • Cheap and easy to install / operate • First stage of the project. Make people feel confident (Educational function) • Mature technology. Can be developed in the island • High potential due to island’s location • Little visual impact and no ecological impact at all

42. Alternative: solar thermal energy

43. Alternative: geothermal energy • Reliable. It can work 98 % of time. • The island presents high potential (volcanic area). Only one set of wells needed. (~6 MW) • Clean energy. Low emission level. • Very low operation – maintenance costs • Located inland. Little visual impact. • High investment. Need for prospection.

44. Alternative: geothermal energy

45. Our choice... • Heating water: Thermal solar Energy • 175 liter – 2.5 m2 surface. • Natural flow. Indirect heat exchange.

46. Our choice... • Electricity production: Geothermal plant • Binary plant based on Kalina cycle • 1 production – 1 reinjection well • 6 MW installed (growth considered)

47. Our choice... • Cooking: Biogas produced from human & cow sewage. • Water and organic waste treatment and the “help” of 135 cows. • Fertilizer produced • No contamination of drinking water

48. Future view • Photovoltaic solar panels • Hydrogen cells systems • Biogas / Biomass turbines • Others? Who knows!!