Cairo Slums Get Energy Makeover
The nonprofit Solar CITIES has installed 34 solar-powered hot water systems and 5 biogas reactors in Cairo’s poor neighborhoods.
Solar CITIES’ hot water systems are constructed from recycled materials and are individually tailored to their locations. ”The problem with professional solar hot water systems is that they’re made for cities with continuous water,” Dr. Sybille Culhane, director of Solar Cities said. The Solar CITIES’s water domestic hot water systems use city water when it’s available and draw from a backup storage tank when it’s not.
From Curious Cat:
The setup consists of an insulated rectangular box covered in clear glass or plastic on one side. Inside the box are copper tubes wrapped in sheets of aluminum, which are painted black. Sunlight striking the darkened aluminum is converted to heat, which is then used to warm water flowing through the pipes. The glass sheet on top of the box prevents the heat from being carried away by wind.
Solar CITIES also installs biogas reactors, which are based on designs Culhane saw while working in India. The reactors use microbes harvested from animal guts to break down food wastes into flammable gas that can be used for cooking and heating. If necessary, the reactors can draw hot water from the solar water heaters to maintain the warm temperatures the bacteria need to survive.
Check Out: Solar Cities