Solar Energy Efforts in Panama


Solar Energy Efforts in Panama

(1 vote)

Written by Matt Landau

Thursday, August 03 2006

Allison (Allie) Silverman, Fulbright Scholar from the United States, has been working in rural communities in Panama since October as part of her study on the feasibility and public perception of solar energy in Panama. She has been organizing a pilot project as a result of her studies in a small community in Cocle.

Allie says:

I am investigating solar energy as a renewable alternative and form of sustainable development for Panama. With my grant, I have specifically worked in an impoverished, rural community in Cocle, which is called “Loma Bonita”. There is no electricity there. With help from Panamanians and individuals and a foundation from the U.S., I have been collecting funds to buy solar panels for this community- to provide light in the classrooms in the school (currently, they use the light that enters through small windows), and to provide enough electricity to power a TV and DVD for use of audiovisual educational media (which the community has used its own funds to purchase for the school as part of this effort) and a laptop computer (which the community hopes to purchase at some point in the future).

Also, we will be establishing a solar panel charging station for community members to charge their personal car and cell phone batteries at a small fee that will be managed by the community itself for future solar projects or other community needs. (Currently, community members need to travel with their heavy batteries into the closest town and pay to both charge them and for the transportation to get there). Finally, we have recently added a new aspect to this project, “Adopt a Solar Lantern”, in order to provide light not only for the community to enjoy together, but also for individuals to enjoy within the walls of their own home. “Adopt a Solar Lantern” provides anyone with the ability to directly support a family in the community by purchasing a solar lantern for an individual household at the cost of only $65.

While the technology and utility of electricity is an important part of this project, the process is the key. We have been working hard to work with the community, starting from the very beginning. The project ideas themselves regarding the best use of electricity for Loma Bonita have come from conversations and interviews with members of the community. The community members have been preparing and organizing themselves for the transfer of solar energy for a number of weeks now. They have formed a “Committee of Electricity for the Sustainable Development of Loma Bonita” to organize meetings, to manage funds, and to plan proper security for the new systems.

This committee is made up of a male and female representative from each sector in the community. The process has been the most important part because it is what will make the idea sustainable and replicable in the future. There are 4 other communities alongside of Loma Bonita that also are without electricity. It is my hope that with the knowledge gained from this pilot project, the idea will spread to the next communities and beyond.

The implementation of the solar energy project “Luz Buena para Loma Bonita” will not only provide the community with electricity that is clean and renewable, but more importantly provide a means for sustainable development and community growth. With better lighting during the day and quality lighting never before had in the evening, the community has been planning to hold activities such as night classes (reading, writing, English, etc.), in addition to meetings and other social gatherings. The power for the TV and DVD will be used to complement normal classes in the school with audiovisual educational media. We will also be providing enough solar electric capacity to power a laptop computer, which the community has expressed an interest in purchasing with the communal funds gathered as a result of the fees charged for using the solar power battery charging station and the monthly fees for using the solar lanterns in the houses.

In addition to installing the solar system, community technicians will be trained in proper maintenance and installation, and everyone interested will receive basic training on solar energy and the importance of conservation.

The school in Loma Bonita is a primary school of 78 students, six grades and four classrooms. There are three teachers that work with two grades each, at the same time. There is not a secondary school in the community. However, the hope is that with the electricity in the school and the newly purchased TV and DVD, the Ministry of Education will provide a fourth teacher to assist in teaching older students and/or adults through audiovisual educational programs. (A requirement for obtaining another teacher for older students using the audiovisual educational programs is that the community needs to already have electricity.)

Loma Bonita, a community of 94 houses and just under 300 people, is located in the Corregimiento of Las Lomas, southwest in the district of La Pintada (which is situated in the northern part of the Cocle Province). The corregimiento of Las Lomas was recently created (in 2002) and has a population of approximately 2,466 residents in an area of 82 square kilometers. It is a completely mountainous region and it is close to the Park General Omar Torrijos Herrerra.

The project “Luz Buena para Loma Bonita” is soliciting donations in the name of la Asociaci�n de Becarios Fulbright Panamá, in order to complete this solar energy project, using solar energy as a renewable alternative and form of sustainable development in our country.

Your entire donation is tax deductible following Resolution No. 201-399 of May 21, 1991.

For more information, to donate, or to help in other ways, contact Allie at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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