RWANDA NATURAL ENERGY PROJECT
Manna Energy's Rwanda Natural Energy Project (the “Project”) is in the process of deploying water treatment plants and biogas reactors to more than 400 secondary schools throughout Rwanda. Benefiting more than 250,000 students, teachers, and staff, the Project is one of the “greenest” in existence today.
The water treatment plants will provide clean water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene --something that is unheard of in nearly all of these Rwandan schools. These water treatment plants purify the water using gravity filtration and solar powered ultraviolet lamps. The resulting purified water provides an opportunity for students to study and thrive without the frequent illness, and all too often death, that has been attributed to the current lack of an available source of clean water.
The biogas reactor systems will treat and convert kitchen and human waste generated at the schools into methane, which will prevent sewage from seeping beyond the schools into the local community. The resulting methane and treated waste will be used in conjunction with high efficiency cook stoves and as a sanitary fertilizer for clean crop production.
Both the water treatment and biogas systems are comprised of materials and technologies that are tested and established, and can be readily installed in place and maintainable at their location. In support of the local economies, a majority of the materials needed for the water systems will originate in either Rwanda or neighboring Kenya. The biogas systems will be almost exclusively comprised of material and technology readily available in Rwanda.
The Project, through the implementation of the water treatment and biogas reactor systems will:
Result in Improved Quality of Life and Environmental Benefits
- Provides clean water with resulting improvement in the health of the school populations
- Provides the opportunity for students to study and thrive without frequent illness and death attributable to contaminated water
- Provides improved sanitation through the availability of clean water and through the improved and resourceful management of sewage
- Provides a means for capturing and generating methane to be used in place of wood and charcoal harvested from non-renewable forests, thereby greatly decreasing the carbon footprint of the schools
- Provides protection of the forests of Rwanda and neighboring countries, many of which are a habitat for the endangered Mountain Gorilla and other species of fauna and flora
Results in Economic and Developmental Benefits
- The Project, expected to operate for at least 10 years, will train and employ a workforce in Rwanda that will be responsible for the installation, maintenance and operation of the systems
- Both the water treatment and biogas systems will be almost exclusively comprised of materials and technologies that originate and are readily available in Rwanda and neighboring Kenya, thereby supporting local economic growth and stability
Manna Energy: Revolutionizing Philanthropy Through Certified Carbon Credit Funding
As a unique alternative to funding based solely on charitable donations, the Project implementation will be funded through the generation of Certified Emission Reductions (CER's) under the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (UN-CDM). This will be the first CDM project to generate carbon credits through the purification water with solar energy instead of by boiling with non-renewable firewood (conserved from combustion).
Manna Project Carbon Funding Benefits
- Clean water, conversion of biological waste into cooking fuel, and elimination of indoor smoke all directly address the United Nations Millennium Development Goals
- The Project specifically advances the objectives of Rwanda's Vision 2020 roadmap for development, by executing the Project through direct investment in a new Rwandan business venture
- The Project generates a continuous stream of income through the production of certified carbon credits for a period of at least 10 years from the time of installation, during which time Manna Energy will continue to operate the facilities with eventual transition to the Rwandan Ministry of Education and the schools themselves, therefore putting their future into their own hands
- The revenue generated for the Project by its Rwandan operating company is through the reliable operation of the installed systems
- Dividends accrued by the non-profit Manna Energy Foundation through this venture will be reinvested into its humanitarian projects
This economic model -- built upon continuing operation rather than initial installation as the source of reward -- will ensure that our systems continue to create value for those they serve and will enable future projects in other communities. This provides Manna with the unique opportunity to implement projects that are economically, culturally, and politically self-sustainable, and ultimately not constrained by a dependence on donations alone.
Manna Energy's Technology Partners
Manna has teamed with Engineers Without Borders-USA (www.ewb-usa.org) to implement this project.
Manna and its technology partner, Engineers Without Borders – Johnson Space Center Chapter, currently have three solar-powered water treatment plants operating in rural Rwanda. The success of these existing treatment plants provides Manna with the basis to expand Manna Energy’s commitment throughout Rwanda to the benefit of its people and most especially, to its school children who are the true future of Rwanda.
Additionally, Manna expects to utilize the expertise of the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology of Rwanda (http://www.kist.ac.rw) for the biogas installations. Manna Energy is presently in negotiations with contractors and manufacturers in Rwanda and Kenya for the purpose of carrying out the implementation of the systems. The prime candidates for meeting the Project needs are:
These parties possess the experience and have demonstrated their ability to undertake the tasks, under Manna’s supervision, required to meet the Project targets.
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