Supporting Erickson Rivera and Energy Light
Erickson Rivera is from the rural community of Bella Vista in the province of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Before the community received the electrical grid his grandfather lived with an Off-Grid Solar system, giving him awareness of solar technology at a young age. He then gained work experience installing back-up power systems in the nearby urban center. In October 2012 Richard Hansen arranged for Erickson to travel to Honduras to see several early grid-tied PV systems. In September 2013 Richard brought him to Chicago to attend the Solar Power International Conference which opened his eyes to the growing solar industry. In the first quarter of 2014 Energy Access Foundation contracted him to install his first grid-tied PV system at the Mariposa Foundation. November 2015, Energy Access Foundation contracted Erickson to install the hybrid grid-tied PV system at the Bella Vista school, a collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Lowell. This support has helped him develop his PV business, Energy Light, which began serving many customers in the expat community. Along the way, Erickson worked hard to complete his degree in electrical engineering. In the past decade Energy Light has become a leading supplier of grid-tied PV systems on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.
Supporting Raquel Guzman and Solarwave
After working in administration of a small solar business (Soluz Dominicana) for one decade, in 2012, Lic. Raquel Guzman established Solarwave, her own solar business. Solarwave has supplied Off-Grid Solar products in the Dominican Republic and in Haiti where Raquel was able to link with Haitian solar entrepreneurs. Solarwave has also supplied Grid-Tied PV systems for several private customers and for NGOs. Raquel has assisted with importing donated PV modules for EAF projects with Mariposa Foundation and the first Bella Vista school hybrid grid-tied PV project. One interesting form of support that EAF has provided is the donation of baseball bats to Solarwave, bats that Solarwave sells at low-cost to aspiring Dominican ball players which supplements Solarwave’s revenues. Solarwave, as a woman-owned solar business, has serves and important niche in the marketplace meeting energy access needs in collaboration with the Energy Access Foundation.
Meeting of Solar Entrepreneurs in Central America - 2008
As a follow-up to a meeting of solar entrepreneurs held in India 2005, EAF organized a meeting of solar entrepreneurs in Central America in 2008. In the meeting, solar entrepreneurs shared experiences as well as helped EAF determine how to best support energy access innovations.