Article and photo courtesy of The Jane Goodall Institute

How research at GSRC works

Currently, researchers collect field data on sheets of paper, much as Dr. Goodall did when she arrived in 1960. The data is eventually transported to the Jane Goodall Institute Center for Primate Studies at the University of Minnesota to be analyzed and archived. With solar power, the researchers can write field notes directly to computer, and transmit them to Minnesota by e-mail and CD-ROM. This process will save time, money, and paper, while enabling faster data analysis. The reliable power source will also allow staff to integrate new electronic methods of data-gathering, such as GIS.

Before the installation, GSRC did have a few solar panels, but most research took place under smoky kerosene lamps, candles, lights powered by gas generators and fuelwood. Computers and radios ran off of the generators, which are noisy, emit gas vapors, are prone to breaking down and are at the mercy of fuel supply in Africa. Staff also drew power from car batteries which then had to be carried to Kigoma for recharging.

These limitations hindered the ability of researchers to communicate with remote colleagues. Solar power will enable greater use of radio communication, and eventually satellite-delivered Internet access will enable frequent use of email. Currently, staff members send and receive email on a floppy disk carried by boat to Kigoma, 15 miles away.

Power supply and demand

The systems at GSRC and Kigoma use cutting-edge technologies: white LEDs. One bulb will last 86 years if used four hours a night. The system can also store power for later use. "During the rainy season, even during the darkest days, solar power will provide valuable light," MacLachlan said.

In the future, the TACARE offices will be equipped with solar powered lighting, which will enable the teaching of adult literacy classes at night.

Solar Electric Light Fund

SELF is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1990 to promote, develop, and facilitate solar rural electrification and energy self-sufficiency in developing countries.

Robert A. Freling, Executive Director of SELF, had a conversation with Dr. Jane Goodall four or five years ago at the "State of the World forum" in San Francisco. They agreed that solar energy in GSRC and Kigoma would bring immediate value to research while serving as a platform to educate.

"It is a great opportunity to showcase the role of solar energy in conservation," Freling said. "You must take care of the needs of the people who live around sensitive ecosystems."

SELF funded the project with help from the Greenville Foundation, the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust, ConocoPhilips and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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