Sustainable Energy Solutions for Remote Communities

The Energy Group has been actively involved in overseas development and appropriate technology for many years, searching for sustainable energy solutions for remote and rural communities. Much of this effort has been through academic links with other institutions, and through consultancy work. The experience of some members of the group comes from extended periods of work in less developed countries.

David Fulford worked with a development consultancy in Nepal between 1977 and 1984, in a team setting up a biogas extension project. He has used this expertise in consultancy visits to technology extension groups in Papua New Guinea and Ethiopia. He was asked in 1991 by UNCDF to evaluate their funding of the biogas project in Nepal and has been involved in a recent contract with DfID in looking into the transfer of micro-hydro technology from Asia to Africa. He was involved in 1999 in a workshop in Sri Lanka to review the national biogas programme. In 2004 and 2005, he has made judging visits to Guatemala, Ecuador, Kenya, Nigeria and Rwanda on behalf of the Ashden Awards.

Rayner Mayer has been involved in the assessment of the use of wind energy to provide electric power in remote communities.

John Twidell worked in Sudan between 1964 to 1968 and in Fiji between 1976 and 1977 and has been a consultant on renewable energy in many countries, including Kenya, Swaziland, Chile, Thailand and Zimbabwe over the years.

Anne Wheldon (now retired) was a Lecturer in Applied Physics at the University of Swaziland from 1982 to 1987 and Head of Physics from 1986 to 1987. In this capacity she was involved in the assessment of household energy use and the application of solar thermal collectors in Swaziland.

John Burton (now retired) has two decades of experience in energy and water provision in remote rural communities in Latin America. He has worked as a consultant for several national and international development agencies, in the evaluation of wind and water resources for domestic, agricultural and irrigation purposes. Recent hydro consultancy work has focused upon low head schemes in Colombia and Peru. He has retired from full-time involvement with the university, but is still helping out as a consultant.