Educational Center for promotion of Renewable Energy, Ecotourism and Heritage Preservation

Why do we choose Renewable Energy? 1.Social / Economical reasons: - Easter Island location (high transport costs) - Take advantage of the Natural Resources available in the Island in a sustainable way 2.Environmental reasons: - Reduce pollution and CO 2 emissions (market!) - Manage waste inside the Island 3. Other : - Promote a new way of tourism (ECO-TOURISM) - Reliability of the energy source

Advantages and Drawbacks advantages... clean no fossil fuels cheap operation no transport politically accepted... drawbacks  high investment  not mature tech.  reliability  Visual & eco impact  complex tech.

Actual Stage: diesel generators - Very old  high maintenance costs or replacement - Fuel is very expensive (shipping)  electricity bill unacceptably high - Not reliable - Pollution. CO 2, SO 2, NO x emissions - Easy to operate, can be run by the islanders - Mature technology (no surprises)

- Still developing. Expensive. - Easy to operate, and low maintenance costs. - Low Efficiency. A very extense area should be covered to provide enough energy. Visual impact. - Depends on weather conditions. Backup system. -Considered in our “single house upgrading” for houses in rural areas. Depends on how the technology improves. Alternative: solar photovoltaic

Alternative: wind power - Average wind speed very low (4 m/s) - Wind direction is not fixed (control tech) - The energy is not provided continuously. Need for backup system to be reliable. - Huge area required. (wind turbines must be separated) - Best location: coasts (Moais location). Very high visual/ecological impact.

Alternative: wind power

Alternative: tidal / wave power - Highest initial investment - No data about the difference between high/low tide (must be ad least 10 meters) - Sea level is changing due to global heating. - Location: coast (Moais location). Very high visual impact. It is a very huge building work. - Ecological impact: fishing

Alternative: tidal / wave power

Alternative: biomass - Not very expensive to install - Waste can be used to provide energy - Not enough resources to run the island. (it can be used together with other source of energy) - Forrest must be kept as it is now (island history!) - Emissions of CO 2 in the combustion process (electricity production in biomass plants) - In our project we use human / cow waste to produce biogas for cooking.

Alternative: biomass

Alternative: solar thermal energy - Cheap and easy to install / operate - First stage of the project. Make people feel confident (Educational function) - Mature technology. Can be developed in the island - High potential due to island’s location - Little visual impact and no ecological impact at all

Alternative: solar thermal energy

Alternative: geothermal energy - Reliable. It can work 98 % of time. - The island presents high potential (volcanic area). Only one set of wells needed. (~6 MW) - Clean energy. Low emission level. - Very low operation – maintenance costs - Located inland. Little visual impact. - High investment. Need for prospection.

Alternative: geothermal energy

Our choice... - Heating water: Thermal solar Energy 175 liter – 2.5 m 2 surface. Natural flow. Indirect heat exchange.

Our choice... - Electricity production: Geothermal plant Binary plant based on Kalina cycle 1 production – 1 reinjection well 6 MW installed (growth considered)

Our choice... - Cooking: Biogas produced from human & cow sewage. - Water and organic waste treatment and the “help” of 135 cows. - Fertilizer produced - No contamination of drinking water

Future view - Photovoltaic solar panels - Hydrogen cells systems - Biogas / Biomass turbines - Others? Who knows!!