Course fee includes food, shared lodging, and all in-country travel.
The workshop combines classroom sessions with a strong emphasis on real-world projects in the community along with hands-on labs. You will have the opportunity to understand, design, and install systems that can dramatically improve the living conditions of the local people.
Topics include:
--Solar Electricity for Rural Development
--Wind Electricity
--Micro-Hydro Electricity
--Solar Hot Water
--Solar Cooking and Food Drying (with Sol Verde, a women's cooperative)
--Technology Transfer and System Maintenance
--Methane Biogas Digesters (with Dr. Richard Taylor of Earth University)
--Social & Cultural Issues of Working in the Developing World
--Hands-On Installations in the Local Community
Held at Rancho Mastatal, an environmental learning center and retreat located in the last virgin rainforest of Costa Rica's Puriscal County. The course is taught in both English and Spanish. We'll spend about one-third of our time in the classroom, studying renewable energy technology basics. The rest of our time will be in the field or lab, getting our hands dirty, learning by doing.