Community Engagement

 

 Title: Design and Development of Solar Based DC/AC Power Supply to light and Charge Electronic device for Small rural community in Dangla, Amhara region

Short Project Description: The project is designed to alleviate the problem of electricity accesses for lighting and charging in small rural communities who are living in Dangla, specifically in Dangshta Kebele. It is already done using PV-home lighting systems as they are appropriate and lasting energy solutions for such communities who are far from the grid.

Project Objectives

The main objective of this community service to provide clean and environmentally friendly energy access for rural community to reduce women's burden from indoor air pollution, purchasing of lighting fuels and improve education quality of farmers' children who are studying at night.

Project Team: Dr. Eshetu Getahun (PI), Mr. Bassazin Ayalew (Co-PI), Mr. Biniyam Zemene (Co-PI), Mr. Kassaye Gizaw (Co-PI), Mr. Negesse Yayu (Co-PI)

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Title: Design and Installation of Solar (Photovoltaic) Powered Lighting System for Intons Eyesus Island of Lake Tana

Short Project Description: With about 3,000-square-kilometer surface, Lake Tana is Ethiopia’s largest body of water and has thirty-seven islands scattered. Some twenty of these islands shelter churches and monasteries of significant historical and cultural interest. The islands have been strong religious sites and has been good touristic attraction. Kebran Gabriel and Entos Eyesus are the nearest monastery to Bahir Dar, and are principal attraction for local and international visitors.

Electricity on the island is currently provided by small diesel generators located in the church, at a relatively high cost once in a week and environmental impact. The generators are small and provide power for lighting and cell phone charging. Running the generators at higher capacity involve higher maintenance costs due to overheating. The noise and atmospheric emissions from the generators have a negative health impact on the villagers, while the emissions include greenhouse gas.

Soar PV system has been one of the promising energy alternatives in the world. Specially for countries like Ethiopia where there is enormous amount of radiation ̶with more than 5.5 kWh per square meter ̶the usage of solar energy for electrification would be feasible. However, the effective utilization of the solar energy had been hindered with the high initial investment cost compared to the convention energy sources. These days, however, the cost of solar panel is being dropping making solar PV one of the competitive renewable energy sources. Therefore, unlike past, using solar PV as a primary or backup power source will be a very feasible alternative. Bahir Dar Technology institute has strong commitment to support the society with community service activities.

Thus, in this project solar electrification for Intons Eyesus is done with about 1.5kwh generation capacity. The project enables to light the whole island throughout the whole night. It can light about 100 lamps for 12 hrs aday. It also enables reduction of fuel consumption and run-time of the diesel generators currently serving the island, or to eliminate the need for them altogether.

Project Objectives

  • To design and install supporting structure in local context
  • To figure out the alternatives perform system design
  • To perform load calculations and detail sizing of components
  • To prepare specification and bid-inventory
  • To install the PV system and control full functionality

Project Team: Destaw Agumass (PI), Netsanet Adgeh (Co-PI)

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Title: Training on fuel saving stoves production and proper utilization for women in selected kebele of Bahir Dar Zuria Woreda.

Short Project Description: Majority of the community uses traditional stoves for cooking their foods. The traditional stoves commonly used for burning biomass energy have long been found to be highly inefficient and to emit abundant quantities of smoke due to the incomplete combustion of fuels. This inefficiency has also had consequences on the environment, since forceful collection of fuel wood has resulted in deforestation in highly populated areas. The use of such fuels has also adversely affected health. To minimize the health and deforestation risk from traditional stove the Ethiopia government introduced Mirt improved biomass Injera stove, with average life time of five to seven years,

Therefore, the aim of this training is to create awareness on purposively selected kebele rural women households about the advantage of improved stoves regarding environmental, economical, health and social benefits. The proposal was initiated for delivering training on Mirt stove manufacturing for rural women households and distributing Mirt stove for 20 households in purposively selected one kebeles of Bahir Dar Zuria woreda.  

Project Objectives

To provide exclusive training on Mirt stove mould for women farmers in one kebele of Bahir Dar Zuria Woreda   

Specific objectives

  • To give theoretical and practical training on Mirt Stove production and proper utilization
  • To provide Mirt stove mould and other accessories used for production of the stove
  • To distribute the manufactured Mirt Stove for surrounding households

Project Team: Negese Yayu (PI), Getu Alemayehu (Co-PI)

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Title: Community service on Institutional Mirt Stove for Daga Estifanos Monestry

Short Project Description: Construction Materials used for the project is purchased and transported to the community service delivery site. The stoves and its’ accessories are manufactured and transported to the community service delivery site. Stove structure is constructed and installed to its’ proper position. The chimney is assembled to the stove.  Training on stove usage and fuel wood preparation was given to the society of the monastery. Demonstration was takes place for the concerned community of the monastery. Feedback about fuel saving and indoor air quality in the kitchen was collected by interviewing the concerned body of the community but due to time constraint it was not enough. Finally the property was transferred to the monastery community.

Project Objectives

The general objective of this work is to distribute, install and demonstrate Institutional Mirt for rural communities to replace traditional stove, 

Specific objectives

  • To install and to demonstrate Institutional Mirt stove on the monastery kitchen
  • To collect feedback about the fuel saving and indoor air quality in the kitchen

Project Team: Negese Yayu (PI), Muluken Temesgen (Co-PI), Getu Alemayehu (Co-PI)

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Title: Foot open-close water fetching for condominium sites of Bahir Dar University 

Short Project Description: Bahir Dar University has condominium sites where lecture staff lives together sharing drinking water together. So many people share 1 drinking water tap in a way hand contact on the opening occurs and thus has large risk for the spread of corona virus. This shows that there is high risk of virus spreading.

Therefore, the aim of this community service is to use foot instead of hand for opening and closing the drinking water line during fetching. So that it can prevent hand contamination and spread of the corona virus due to hand contact.

Thus, purchase of raw materials, the manufacturing, assembling, and installation, testing and training the users how to use has been done based on the proposed methodologies. 

Project Objectives

To provide technology that helps foot to open and closed the drinking water found in condominium site of Bahir Dar University

Specific objectives:

  • Manufacture foot open and closed drinking water tap technology
  • Installing the manufactured technology on the existing drinking water tap
  • Test the functionality of the technology and show/train how it works to the responsible person of the building.

Project Team: Getu Alemayehu (PI), Negese Yayu (Co-PI), Sinewerk  (Co-PI)

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Title: Biogas plant, Biogas Stove and Biogas Injera Mitad Maintenance in Mecha Woreda, Especially Bahir Dar University Technology transfer site of Kolala kebele.

Short Project Description: Bahir Dar University has started well for giving focus for biogas use for the surrounding communities, especially for selected technology transfer area of Kolala. More than nineteen (19) biogas plants have been constructed in Mecha Woreda.  

Therefore, biogas technology that has been constructed is creating awareness of researchers and people, efficiency of waste treatment and it is also substituting the unsustainable use of biomass and that of kerosene for cooking. This means it is contributing positive environmental impact and for public health.

However, most of the installed biogas plants were not properly functioning due to minor and major damage on the system. Thus, it is needed maintenance for giving full utilization for lighting, cooking, baking and getting organic fertilizer. 

Therefore, it is aimed to maintenance the damaged parts of biogas plants found in Mecha Woreda as they deliver for utilization for cooking, baking, lighting and fertilizer.

So, currently all the damaged biogas plants maintained and delivering the required services especially for cooking and fertilizer. Thus, they are contributing for good livelihood for the rural community and for environment as well.

Project Objectives

To provide maintenance service for damaged biogas plants in Mecha woredas especially for Kolala kebele.

Specific objectives

  • To survey and identify each part of damaged biogas plants
  • To replace totally damaged parts and maintain partly damaged components by purchase the needed components for the maintenance
  • To test the functionality of maintained biogas plant and taking any correction measurements if needed

Project Team: Getu Alemayehu (PI), Negese Yayu (Co-PI), Basazin Ayalew (Co-PI)

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