Replacing a diesel engine, which is not only polluting but also expensive to maintain due to the high price of fuel, with a solar energy system, contributing to the generation of renewable and economical energy. This is the goal of the government of Rondônia, which announced, through the State Secretariat for Environmental Development, that it will install a photovoltaic system at the João da Mata Municipal School, located in the Pacaás Novos River Extractive Reserve.
The initiative is part of the “Light for Education” project and should benefit the community with the installation of 15 solar panels. According to the Secretariat, the school will be the first educational institution in the state of Rondônia counting on 100% solar energy.
João Raphael Gomes, coordinator of the program, reported that at the end of last year they managed to raise US$25 from the Future Fund – a resource used to make the construction of the plant viable. “The expectation is that by December more projects can be developed and new resources can be raised, aiming to make our state an increasingly reference in the development of renewable energy in Brazil,” he highlighted.
About the program
The “Light for Education” project is financed by the governments of the Under2 Coalition, made up of Quebec, Scotland, Wales and Baden-Wuerttemberg, through the Future Fund, which was created to increase the participation of emerging and developing regions.
The coalition brings together more than 220 governments representing more than 1,3 billion people and 43% of the global economy. “We were particularly impressed by the multiple advantages presented by the program developed by Sedam, such as clean energy, educational benefits and contribution to the management of protected areas”, pointed out Martine Crowe, engagement coordinator at Under2 Global.
“Another relevant point is the rapprochement between our institutions and an important government in the Amazon region, strategic in the climate agenda, in which The Climate Group and the Under2 Coalition play a leading role,” said Martine.
