The solar canoe being used for the first time!
Photo by Fundación Pachamama
Fundación Pachamama and the Amazon community of Kapawi recently celebrated a pivotal milestone in the transition to renewable energy.
In collaboration with the German Cooperative in Ecuador and Fundación Pachamama, engineers from the University of Azuay developed a solar-powered canoe to provide clean transportation for children in Kapawi and neighboring communities. This initiative marks the beginning of an ambitious project to eliminate “peke pekes” (highly polluting engines used for river transport in Peru and Ecuador) and other outboard motors from the Capahuari River.
The Origin of the Solar Canoe Project
In 2020, a German student from the University of Azuay traveled to Kapawi to study the Capahuari River's economic, environmental, and social impacts from outboard engines and peke pekes. She found evidence of river pollution from engine oil spills, posing a health risk to local communities and causing noise pollution that scared away wildlife, thus impacting tourism—a vital source of income for Kapawi and neighboring areas.
Benefits to School Transportation
The primary purpose of this solar canoe is school transportation, addressing one of the greatest vulnerabilities identified during the study: access to education. Previously, children from neighboring communities had to walk up to 8 hours to reach Tuna Educational Unit in Kapawi, staying there until the weekend. Now, with the school solar canoe, they can return home to their families in time for dinner.
Beyond solving this specific problem, the project aims to inspire a broader change. As José, an engineer at the University of Azuay, and Belén Páez, president of Fundación Pachamama, state: “Children are the future of the Amazon. If they learn early on that alternative energy is a viable solution—allowing them to move without polluting rivers, disrupting wildlife, or incurring high gasoline costs—they will embrace sustainable alternatives.”
The Solution
Solar-powered canoes offer a sustainable alternative to outboard engines and peke pekes. Besides the initial investment, these canoes are essentially free, more efficient, and cleaner for the environment and local communities. A solar-powered canoe can protect local biodiversity and support the health and economy of the Achuar people.
This particular canoe, intended for transporting children, features a 6-kilowatt motor engine and two lithium-ion batteries storing a total of 7 kilowatt-hours of energy. It is designed to travel efficiently for at least an hour on the river, whether downstream or upstream. Equipped with four 160-watt solar panels, the canoe harnesses solar energy while idle, which is stored in the batteries and used for propulsion. The canoe can also be directly connected to a 110-volt mains power supply for quicker charging.
Transitioning to Cleaner Energies
Juan Carlos García, Kapawi Ecolodge Coordinator, emphasizes the necessity of transitioning to clean energy: “Fossil fuels are running out, and change is inevitable. In Kapawi, where tourism has existed for almost 30 years, this is a necessary step to establish environmental standards for the region.”
Kapawi Ecolodge has pioneered the use of alternative energies since its opening in 1996. Now, the goal is to replicate these practices in other communities, enterprises, and eventually for families. The alliance with Tuna Educational Unit, the largest in the area, is part of Fundación Pachamama's effort to support the school's initiative to use alternative energy, aiming to educate young people about these technologies so they can bring this mindset back to their communities.
Challenges to Transitioning
The transition to solar-powered canoes faces challenges, including:
- Slower speed compared to traditional engines.
- Higher initial investment costs compared to gasoline engines and fuel.
- Concerns about the reliability of solar power and potential performance issues.
- Availability and cost of spare parts for maintenance.
However, the Achuar people's openness to this transition and their understanding of solar power's benefits will help overcome these challenges, furthering technological advances needed for more efficient alternatives to fossil fuels.
The Vision for the Project: What’s Next
In Kapawi, solar-powered canoes have already been integrated into daily life. The donation of this school solar canoe contributes to the efforts for a full transition to cleaner energy sources. The vision of Fundación Pachamama and project contributors is to eliminate outboard engines and peke pekes in the Capahuari River, serving as a pilot project for sustainable energy use throughout the Amazon.
