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(Renewable Energy in Mexico) (Program Partners) (Water Pumping) (Protected Areas)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexico's Ecotourism Industry:
Powered by Renewable Energy
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Tourists are often drawn to ecologically sensitive regions of Mexico to experience the beauty and diversity of those natural habitats, but the infrastructure necessary to support these activities increases the ecological pressure on these areas. Through the application of renewable energy technologies to ecotourism uses, Sandia National Laboratories is cooperating with protected areas management groups to support the mutual, yet often incompatible, goals of conservation and economic development.

Renewing the infrastructure

In many cases, renewable energy is a logical solution for tourism applications, and in Mexico this connection is growing. Sandia's strong relationships with several nongovernment organizations (NGOs) working to conserve the protected areas of Southern Mexico, from Oaxaca to the Yucatán Península, are providing opportunities to demonstrate these types of applications.

The Sandia Program is also working to increase the knowledge of appropriate applications of renewable energy technologies within the Mexican ecotourism sector. With two renewable energy workshops scheduled by Sandia in Quintana Roo, to include ecotourism applications (one in December and the other early next year), ecotourism promoters will have access to good information about the technologies, their applications and economics.

The Program team has also been investigating innovative financing mechanisms that might be useful to Mexican institutions-beginning with those in the state of Chihuahua -in overcoming the high initial investment typical of renewable energy systems. It should only be a matter of time before ecotourism promoters and other users have access to these services around the country.

Ixcán ecolodge under construction on the Lacantún River in Montes Azules Integrated Biosphere Reserve, Chiapas. Sandia National Laboratories supervises installation of a solar system for water pumping and facilities power.


Renewables for ecotourism already in place

Renewable energy systems have been installed through the Sandia Mexico Program to support conservation activities in four biosphere reserves and one private reserve, and projects are underway for two additional reserves. While most of the projects have been implemented to improve the capabilities of organizations to manage the reserves, several are specifically oriented to ecotourism.

Specific examples of ecotourism projects include:

  • a 1.1kW photovoltaic system for a research center and cabanas in El Eden, a private reserve in Yucatán;
  • a 1.7kW solar system (installation planned for December '97) for a lodge at Ixcán on the Lacantún River, in the Montes Azules Integrated Biosphere Reserve,
    Chiapas; and
  • a 10kW hybrid wind-diesel-powered system installed last year in Quintana Roo, for a beachside hotel in Costa de Cocos. This system meets 85% of the site's
    power demand, including water desalination.

Other systems support basic energy services necessary for non government agencies to receive tourists at remote camps or visitors' centers. Examples include 26 solar installations Sandia supervised this year (1997) for research and ranger stations in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Quintana Roo, as well as others for multiple camps throughout the El Ocote, El Triunfo, and La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserves in Chiapas. These systems power radio communications, water pumping and lighting, which will allow the conservation organization managing the sites to transform one or more stations into ecotourism facilities, as planned.

Hidden by the palm trees is a solar-powered ranger station in the southern part of the Sian Ka’an Reserve, doubling as a radio communications post. At this site many species—like manatees and crocodiles—can be observed at night foraging on the beach for fish or crab.

Why renewable energy?

Already around Mexico there is growing use, within ecotourism facilities, of renewable energy technologies that include solar-thermal water heating and refrigeration, photovoltaic and/or wind-powered lighting, water pumping, desalination, and water distillation.

Renewable energy is appropriate and attractive to many ecotourism initiatives for several practical reasons. A likely destination for the typical ecotourist is a remote lodge or a visitor center in a nature reserve. For such a site, conventional energy supply-such as elec-trical lines or diesel generators-is often counter to the very requisites that attract these tourists in the first place. On one hand, extending grid lines is costly and can require disturbing virgin forest. On the other hand, fuel-operated generators require a reliable supply of fuel and regular maintenance; moreover, they pollute the air and the soil, and are often intrusively noisy.

In contrast, renewable energy systems require little maintenance and have much lower costs over their lifetime, which can be as long as 30 years. Furthermore, they, generate no air pollution nor oil spills, require no major forest clearing, and operate quietly-often silently-so as not to disturb either wildlife or guests.

Ecotourism, conservation and government policy

Not only do renewables provide economical and reliable power for those remote sites, but also, non government conservation agencies in Mexico are becoming creative in integrating ecotourism initiatives into broader-based conservation efforts. As evidenced by several presentations at the 3rd Congress on Protected Areas Management held in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, in November of this year, many of these agencies are beginning to share their experiences with renewable energy technologies across the country.

Also noted at the Congress was the fact that the Government, as well, is beginning to support ecotourism, as shown by Julia Carabias, Mexico's Secretary for the Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries (SEMARNAP), who highlighted eco-tourism in her introductory speech at the conference as a key activity for addressing conservation and development objectives in Mexico.


Sandia believes that through its collaborative activities with international and local non government organizations, the foundation is being laid for ecotourism activities that will benefit both the people and the environment in and around Mexico's most valued lands.

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Letter From the Editor
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This is the third newsletter this year from the Mexico Renewable Energy Program. Our approach is to focus on a few of our activities in each newsletter, allowing for a more in-depth appreciation and, hopefully, a vision of some exciting new possibilities in these areas. We're working hard to help improve cooperation between the U.S. and Mexican renewable energy industries, and in doing so are assisting the development of growing, sustainable markets for these technologies in several regions throughout Mexico.

As the Program moves into 1998, we are poised for a significant transition to the next phase of the program. Phase I focused on the introduction of renewable energy technologies to several partner organizations by providing technical assistance and implementing pilot projects. Although these activities will continue in Phase II, we will focus more on the replication of pilot projects in areas where our activities are firmly rooted. We will also work more closely with several present and new partners to make transitions, over the next few years, in the management of this and other renewable energy initiatives within Mexico.

This transition was discussed in detail at our program review meeting on July 31 and August 1, which was hosted by the Southwest Technology
Development Institute of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Representatives of several Mexican organizations attended, including the National Solar Energy Association (ANES), the Center for Energy Research (CIE), the Shared Risk Trust Fund (FIRCO), the National Energy Savings Commission (CONAE), and the National Center for Technological Development and Research (CENIDET). Several U.S. industry organizations were represented, including the U.S. Export Council for Renewable Energy (US/ECRE), the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). In addition, our USAID sponsors were present to offer advice regarding their strategic goals for the program. The two days of interaction between these groups provided the basis for several Phase II activities currently underway

In this issue, we focus our attention on the application of renewable energy technologies to ecotourism projects in Mexico. Sandia works with several organizations to demonstrate how renewable energy technologies can play a role in the sustainable management of Mexico's precious habitats. The beauty and diversity of Mexico's natural habitat provide access for many thousands of tourists each year to see beautiful beaches, dense jungles, and mountainous regions teeming with exotic wildlife. This continually growing industry in Mexico places an increasing stress on fragile ecosystems, and measures must be taken to preserve the wilderness while still providing access to it. Used appropriately, renewable energy technologies can be a part of the solution.

 

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San Luis Potosí and Oaxaca: Great Photovoltaic Potential
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Renewable energy as a feasible option for meeting demands for electricity is now a reality in two Mexican states, where a large sector of the population has no grid electric services available. Sandia National Laboratories and FIRCO (a Mexican shared-risk trust fund) signed working contracts to install photovoltaic water pumping systems in both San Luis Potosí and in Oaxaca. The projects will be carried out within the framework of the Alianza Para el Campo, a World Bank-funded program that finances the agricultural sector in Mexico, making cost-shared projects in renewable energy feasible for communities or individuals.

In San Luis Potosí...

A workshop on photovoltaic water pumping was held on the 13th through the 15th of August in the city of San Luis Potosí, about 450 kilometers north of Mexico City. Some 35 technicians and engineers from different organizations participated in this theoretical/practical workshop, which gave an overview of the basic elements of good design for photovoltaic systems. On the last day of the seminar, all the participants were able to practice what they had learned in the classroom.

About 200 kilometers away, in the township of Charcas, a 1.5 kW PV water pumping system was installed as part of the Mexico Program's workshop. The community, which is called "El Reventón" (meaning, the big party), celebrated the event with music, food and a festive tone. Federal Senator Manuel Medellín Milán, president of the Commerce Commission of the Senate Chamber, was present to inaugurate the first of various systems to be installed this year and throughout next year. Senator Medellín said that the efforts of Sandia, FIRCO and New Mexico State University in this work deserve to be recognized. So he proposes to carry out a personal campaign to promote renewable technologies in other federal institutions, suggesting that they use "El Reventón" as a model of rural development in the country.

Along these lines, Sandia and FIRCO signed a working contract to support the efforts of FIRCO/SLP (San Luis Potosí) in the implementing of at least six other PV water pumping projects for the high desert region of the state. No doubt this project is valuable to institutions like FIRCO as well as to local suppliers and users because, as the locals report, not a day goes by that there is not a visitor who comes to get more information about the system installed in "El Reventón."

In Oaxaca...

Installation of three small water pumping systems was approved by FIRCO under the Alianza Para el Campo, along the coast in the Pinotepa region. FIRCO signed a contract with Sandia for $20 thousand for project cost-share on these and subsequent demonstration projects. The development of this project has been delayed due to the severe impact of Hurricane Pauline on the coasts of Oaxaca, particularly in the Pinotepa area. The storm wiped out major bridges and wreaked havoc with roads, telephone lines and other basic infrastructure. However, this crisis has made very clear the potential for photovoltaic technology to satisfy the basic demand for utilities in the coastal communities, since it can be installed without having to put up a very costly grid which can all be destroyed in a one-day hurricane.

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Santa Teresa Science and Ecotourism Converge at the Sian Ka'an Reserve
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Deep in the lush, dense jungles of the Sian Ka'an Reserve in the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico, is located the Santa Teresa biological research station and training center. The mission of this station is a delicate one: to maintain a balance between the endangered species within the borders of this protected area and the influx of human populations such as tourists, not to mention the settlements (mostly Indian) located there since before the region was declared an ecological reserve.

The beauty of this natural habitat attracts hundreds of tourists, who delight in snorkeling among the unique coral reefs on the Caribbean coastline, and in fishing and hunting in the warm, humid climate host to all kinds of wildlife throughout the jungle. This puts pressure on the ecosystems of the habitat, calling for conservation, education and a measured growth of infrastructure to accommodate these changes without destroying the environment.

The Santa Teresa research station, with its 5 buildings, now boasts of over 1300 Watts in solar systems to provide services which make it possible for researchers and ecotourists to live and work comfortably side by side.

In January of 1997, in close collaboration between various Mexican and international non governmental organizations and the Sandia Program, the Santa Teresa station was equipped with over 1300 Watts of solar systems for interior and exterior lighting, for water pumping, and for radio communications. Since then, Santa Teresa has been transformed into a training center with capacity for up to 30 scientists who can remain there for long periods of time. The station is also preparing to support ecotourism by housing ecotourists and giving them short-term training.

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Sandia Program a Strong Presence at ANES Annual Conference
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At the annual conference of the Mexican Solar Energy Association (ANES), the Mexico Renewable Energy Program played a prominent role in several events and was given high praise by the leaders of ANES for having made a profound impact on the status of renewables, both in the state of Chihuahua and in the country. This recognition comes after four years of establishing productive partnerships in several technical, commercial, and educa-tional enterprises, demonstrating that the Program is having continued and growing impact as the Mexican economy stabilizes and grows.

ANES, an affiliate of the International Solar Energy Society, is the premier solar energy group in Mexico and its members have been involved in solar energy research and development for over twenty years. This year's conference, held from September 29 to October 3 in the city of Chihuahua, was attended by influential policy makers, educators, project implementers, and members of the solar industry from all parts of the country, who presented the results of their work.

At this conference Sandia's presence was felt through the coordination of the event by newly-elected founding president of the state chapter of ANES, Engineer Lilia Ojinaga, who was introduced to renewable energy by her involvement with the Mexico Renewable Energy Program.

Also, in a plenary session detailing the successes of the Chihuahua Renewable Energy Working Group, comprised of several government, educational and other development organizations in the state, Dr. Arnoldo Bautista acknowledged the "almost invaluable" assistance of team members Robert Foster and Chris Rovero in helping to establish the Chihuahua Program. Sandia Team members also delivered four technical presentations and gave a pair of practical workshops attended by over 60 Mexican engineers.

Sandia is presently establishing collaborative agreements with ANES and other key Mexican agencies involved in policy-making for renewable energy technology, training programs, project development activities, and industry collaborations.

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