EN 
PT_BR 
The donation of a photovoltaic system was essential for the APAE (Association of Parents and Friends of the Exceptional) unit in Estiva Gerbi (SP) to continue caring for lives.
The arrival of the equipment allowed the institution to reduce its monthly electricity expenditure from R$ 900 to R$ 90, enabling activities to be maintained in the space.
According to the entity's director, Rosana Pavarin Buoso, due to the crisis caused by Covid-19, savings on energy costs were essential for the continuity of patient care.
Currently, the place serves 38 assisted patients, aged 10 to 65, who receive daily care, in two four-hour shifts. “We use the amount saved to supplement the food of those assisted, to purchase items for the workshop and teaching materials. Not to mention that we also work with them on issues related to sustainability and, in this way, we have a great example to set”, she said.
Obtaining the technology was only possible thanks to a partnership between the companies Solar Domain and Grupo Estiva, which installed the equipment on the entity's roof at the end of the first half of 2019. Since then, in addition to saving 90% on the energy bill, the generation of 23.34 MWh from the solar system has also prevented 2.9 tons of CO₂ from being emitted into the atmosphere.
KiloWatt of Good
With the aim of contributing to the budget of charitable institutions that are unable to install a photovoltaic system, Domínio Solar, a company that integrates energy solutions, was another entity that joined the Quilowatt do Bem project.
The program raises donations from private companies to create solar energy distribution in the third sector. The idea of the project aims to help institutions that contribute to society. César Augusto, executive director of Domínio Solar, explained that the company's participation in the program aims to contribute to the work carried out by the third sector in favor of those who need it most.
“We want the economy provided by a solar system to bring a boost to the institutions that contribute so much to our society. More than a donation, we see the project as a way of helping in the long term, as the durability of the panels is around 25 years”, he commented.
