Researchers and students of Forestry Engineering Ifap (Federal Institute of Amapá), from the Laranjal do Jari Campus, developed a portable solar power kit. The objective is to meet the needs of extractivists in the Vale do Jari region.
The prototype uses recyclable products, such as candy cans, to create small solar systems: the chestnut solar kit. The kit provides extractivists with the ability to turn on lamps, televisions and even freezers without the need for polluting generator engines.
Presented recently during the Vale do Jari Business Fair, The project “has the potential to revolutionize the way chestnut trees and other extractives in the Amazon obtain energy,” according to the developers.
The inspiration for this project came from the experience of the researcher and his students during fieldwork with local chestnut trees, who noticed some of the extractivists' needs.
The initial objective was to find an alternative source of energy that does not harm the environment and meets the needs of these communities, who often spend weeks or even months in the forests during collection periods.
According to the students, the solution not only offers an improvement in the quality of life in the camps, but also reduces the environmental impact of these activities.
