Introduction
An excellent work requires a tremendous amount of planning and preparation. This paper will outline the plan for the electrification of Baron Village, located deep into the Empty Quarter desert, south of Saudi Arabia. The said report will give a brief information about Baron Village. However, the main bulk of the report focuses on the proposal to build a stand alone renewable energy source, a combination of a solar power – wind turbine system that will provide a stable energy source for the 100 families that are part of Baron Village.
The rationale for the said project was explained by engineers who worked in remote locations, men and women who emphasised that “Electricity is a medium for connecting energy sources with our wishes- to perform work, fulfil a need, or satisfy a want” (Toepfer, 2010, p.7). The villagers had struggled to survive in an unforgiving landscape and the provision of a reliable source of electric power will undoubtedly change their lives forever.
Hybrid Energy and Alternative Energy Sources
In the 20th century man perfected the use of fossil fuel as a reliable energy source. There was a time when it was abundant and cheap. It led to the development of new technologies. Most importantly electricity was made available to areas that have no access to natural resources such as those that could provide hydroelectric power or geothermal power. However, in the past few decades fossil fuel has become increasingly expensive. Moreover, it was discovered that carbon dioxide and other harmful by-products of the refining and use of fossil fuel has led to what is now known as global warming.
It is therefore important to find an alternative energy source. In the case of the inhabitants of Baron Village the alternative energy source must be cheap and clean. The wind and the sun in the Empty Quarter desert is ideal for a solar and wind energy system. A small-scale wind turbine can be installed that can power a small generator and the energy will be collected by a battery that is being re-charged on a daily basis. The same thing can be said of the solar panels that will collect energy and transform that energy into electrical power.
Another possible solution is the use of hybrid system. According to experts in this field “hybrid energy is an integration of renewable resources such as the solar, wind turbines, biomass, geothermal and the micro-hydro energy with the fossil fuel powered generators” (Gupta & Sharma, 2008, p.1). In this configuration, a “hybrid energy systems consist of at least two energy systems one of it is the fossil fuel system that guarantee the stability of the power production” (Gupta & Sharma, 2008, p.1).
This is a an excellent idea especially when looking at the goal of providing a stable energy source. But if one will consider the location – the remoteness of the village and the problems with the road networks – then it would be best to simply devise something that is easy to maintain. In order to achieve a level of dependability an integrated solar and wind power generator can be utilised in Baron Village.
Development Proposal
Any area in the world has its own natural resources which can be used for the development of this area. Some of the readily accessible natural resources is sunlight and wind energy. In the Empty Quarter desert there are three things that are in abundant supply, wind, sun, and sand. These three things must be carefully considered when it comes to the proposal to provide this village with solar power or wind power or both for the electrification of the households.
It is easy to develop a plan that will automatically serve the households and even to supply the need of any commercial enterprise. But once again it is imperative to consider the location and the harsh environment in order to understand that it would be best to develop a plan that is easy to implement and has a high rate of success so that the villagers will be encouraged to embrace and maintain a new way of life. In this regard, two important steps will be taken which are the resources assessment and the demand assessment.
The village Profile
Baron is a village located deep into the the Empty Quarter desert. The name is derived from an Arabic term Rub al Khali which literally means “quarter of emptiness” (Webster, 2011, p.1). National Geographic explorers made a clear description of the challenges up ahead for engineers who may try to help the inhabitants of Baron village and they wrote, “For thousands of years this territory has resisted settlement as one of the Earth’s hottest, driest, and most unyielding environments… at more than 583,000 square miles, it takes in substantial portions of Saudi Arabia, as well as parts of Oman, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates” (Webster, 2011, p.1). There are more or less 100 families in this village and estimated 700 people live in it.
Table 1. Estimated Cost for the Baron Village Electrification Project.
Baron is located on the Saudi Arabia side of the desert. But it is far away from the nearest town such that the inhabitants of Rub al Khali without electricity. In fact, the nearest power plant is 900 kilometres away from the village. There is no means of connecting to that electrical grid and it is also impractical to buy fuel and transport it to this location because it would be very costly to do so. Some may contend that it would be better to suggest relocating the families to a town that is near the an electric power source. But this is unacceptable for the villagers.
According to anthropologists working in this area these villagers are nomad-like when it comes to their culture and lifestyle. In describing some of the people living in the Empty Quarter they remarked, “Others operate deep within the desert, far from agricultural centres and seldom interact with agriculturists… most of these are traditionally associated with the herding of camels” (Cole, 2010, p.23). In other words the villagers are contented to stay within the Empty Quarter desert and would never leave.
Project Methodology
Baron village is the ideal candidate because it is far from the nearest electric power plant. At the same time the people are really struggling when it comes to dealing with the arid desert. The existence of renewable energy supply will enable the villagers to have refrigeration so that fresh produce will not spoil easily. They will also have the capability to use computers and other communication devices that can help improve their lives and their livelihood.
Thus, the basic requirement is provide every single household a solar-wind energy system that can power a simple refrigerator, a personal computer, and charge the batteries of a transistor radio. The purpose of the refrigerator is to extend the shelf life of food products. Milk can be harvested from the animals but it can easily spoil and therefore it would be best to have a refrigerator. A personal computer is also important because of the need of the villagers to be computer literate. The transistor radio will give them the ability to be updated with current events.
The environment is suited for the proposed subject. The climate is best described as a “hyper-arid” climate with about 35 mm (1.38 in) of rain per year which means the weather is mostly sunny. The temperatures can be as high as 55 degrees Celsius during summer time. The hotness of the desert during daytime and the sudden drop in temperature in the evening will ensure wind movement and air movement means that it can power a small wind turbine and provide power in the evening.
Taking everything in consideration the project managers discovered that there is a company that sells the appropriate type of solar panel. The product is called the 80W Solar Energy System with Xantrex (SolarHome, 2011, p.1). According to the manufacturers, “The Xantrex system is built to run a range of appliances such as a standard size refrigerator and microwave oven, coffee pot, and office equipment such as a computer, monitor and fax machine” (SolarHome, 2011, p.1). This is because the unit can “supply up to 1500 watts of household electricity and it has a battery pack that stores 51 amp-hours of electrical energy” (SolarHome, 2011, p.1). The capability of this unit is more than enough for the needs of Baron town village.
The cost of the a single unit is US$1,458.00. The project leaders must be able to convince the manufacturers to modify the design in order to attach a simple wind turbine and create a dual system. An offer will be made that if the project succeeds then SolarHome will become the sole supplier for future projects in the Empty Quarter desert. Thus, the company will have to make the modification, add the wind turbine system at no extra cost.
This means that the project leaders must raise at least US$145,800.00 to cover the expense of buying the Xantrex system alone. Another US$200,000.00 is needed to transport the Xantrex solar-wind energy system from the United States, to Saudi Arabia and then finally to transport it over land to Baron town. Part of the funding will be used to send a team of engineers who will install the Xantrex system into every home and then they will teach the villagers on how to maintain the solar-wind turbine.
More importantly the engineers will teach them how to power up the refrigerator, the personal computer and the transistor radio. Another team will have to travel with the engineers and they will help teach the villagers on how to improve their lives and livelihood using the aforementioned appliances and office equipment.
Conclusion
The electrification of Baron Village, a remote location deep into the Empty Quarter desert can only be achieved with the use of a standalone alternative energy system that utilizes the renewable resources of the said area. This will bring prosperity to the village. The ability to use basic appliances and office equipment will give them the motivation to aspire for better things. This will enhance their lives and their livelihood. On top of that they will have an opportunity to be computer literate, something that is of vital importance to those who are living in the 21st century.
References
Cole, D. (2010). Bedouins of the Empty Quarter. New Jersey: Aldine Transaction.
Gupta, S. & Sharma, M.P. (2008) Hybrid energy system for remote area – an action plan for cost effective power generation. IEEE Region. Third international Conference.
SolarHome. (2011) 80W Solar Energy System with Xantrex 1500. Web.
Toepfer, C.R. (2010). The Hybrid Electric Home. PA: Schiffer.
Webster, D. (2005) Empty Quarter: Exploring Arabia’s Legendary Sea of Sand. National Geographic. Web.