IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - December 2017 - 75

Environmental Characteristics of the Region
The indigenous reservation is located in an area rich in
biodiversity, with plenty of water, Local flora and fauna
are of the tropical rainforest and mangroves. Other environmental attributes are weather conditions of high
humidity and average temperatures, and a medium
level of water salinity.
Analyzing the availability of energy sources in the
area, it was observed that the use of solar energy would
not have significant effects on the local environment,
since interventions for installation, operation, and maintenance would be minimal, focused primarily on environmental maintenance of batteries.
A second possible energy source was water. Environmental permits for the use of water resources, and
a management plan for implementation, operation
and, maintenance would be more complex than for a
solar source. Also the water resource is used for fishing, consumption, and transport. So the environmental
impact could be higher if the river was also being used
for energy.
The third potential energy source available was residual biomass from wood or nearby sawmills, plantain,
and corn. The environmental impact of using biomass
as an energy resource was considered medium. However the resource availability was low. Also, the use of biomass would require tracking and mitigation programs to
avoid negative effects on the area such as deforestation
and erosion. On the other hand, the places to intervene
in the use of biomass have environmental and social
restrictions by part of the community. After the project
had evaluated on-site availability of residual biomass for
power generation, it was found that the amounts needed for energy use were not enough, so their participation as an energy source was discarded.

Sociocultural Environment of the Community

FIGURE 1. View of the indigenous reservation Calle Santa

Rosa.

these cosmological concepts, especially the conservation of forests and their ecosystems. From the
point of view of the sun source, the conservation
sites for the community were not affected in the project, because we built new places to install the photovoltaic panels, so it will not negatively impact the
culture and beliefs of the community. For the second stage of the solution, intensive community participation was included to ensure that, from the
production process associated with the solar energy
system, new socioeconomic activities were generated
involving the concept of rational use of energy. As
one of the main tools used for project implementation, ownership and membership actions were included, in order to create opportunities for community
participation after the arrival of the working group for
system operation. Figure 3 shows a working meeting
with the community.

Economic Characteristics of the Project
Because the community's economy is based on agriculture, handicrafts, hunting, fishing, and forestry - all
of traditional character, the project proposed to build
solar systems to cover some unsatisfied basic needs

The community that lives in the indigenous reservation
belongs to the ethnic group "Eperara
Siapidaara." According to their cosmological interpretation, they have
different worlds, guided by spiritual
forces, whose equilibrium depends
on the health and welfare of its people. Hence they have areas devoted
to environmental conservation that
are considered sacred and are linked
to their food. Likewise, there are areas reserved for collection of food
and animal protection to ensure their
re-population.
In order to maintain and preserve
their beliefs and customs, the proposed solution seeks to harmonize FIGURE 2. View of the indigenous reservation Calle Santa Rosa.
DECEMBER 2017

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - December 2017