Nicaragua has the lowest electricity generation and lowest percentage of population with access to electricity in Central America. About 25% of Nicaraguans do not have electricity, and about 60% of those are in rural areas. For remote communities, conventional grid electricity is unavailable and therefore decentralized systems are the only option for obtaining access to electricity in their homes.

There are many dangers and disadvantages of non-electric light. The World Bank estimates that breathing kerosene fumes is the equivalent of smoking two packs of cigarettes a day, exposing women and children especially to respiratory illnesses. The risk of fire and toxic exposure due to accidents is high. For families living on just a few dollars a day, the cost of $5-15 per month on fuel for light is significant. Additionally, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories found the main source of greenhouse gases in the developing world come from non-renewable lighting sources such as the burning of kerosene or diesel. A typical household burning 1 quart of kerosene per week releases nearly 300 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere per year.

These energy-efficient systems consisting of solar panels, LED light bulbs, and batteries, have a low environmental impact. By bringing affordable solar energy to homes, families can study, make products for sale, read, and enjoy their evening in light, without inhaling smoke. Our solar electrical systems include inverters that provide families with outlets that can charge low-powered electrical devices such as cell phones, providing access to information including weather and emergency notices. Electric light also gives families something more intangible, a sense of self-worth and hopefulness, that they are joining the rest of the modern world. One woman we interviewed having solar installed said, “to gain access to electricity would be like a blind person gaining sight.”

Our biogas stoves provide rural Nicaraguans with an energy source that replaces the hazardous gaseous emissions and financial burdens of traditional wood fires. These stoves do not use firewood, like other traditional stoves, helping to reduce deforestation and preserve the environment while saving families money. EOS has installed nearly 150 biogas stoves across Nicaragua.

A biodigester, which fuels our biogas stoves, is a simple technology that converts animal and organic wastes into biogas and nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer. While the fertilizer can be put back on crops to increase yields, the biogas can be piped to a simple gas cooking range and used as fuel, yielding up to five hours of gas per day. This system prevents methane gas from animal waste from being released into the atmosphere.

These biogas stoves replace traditional wood-burning stoves found in almost every Nicaraguan home. Removing the toxic wood smoke from the kitchen and relieving the burden of cooking over a dangerous wood-burning stove drastically improves the health of all family members and saves a significant amount of time and money spent to provide firewood.

While there are different types of biogas stove designs, we use a simple model consisting of everyday products found in Nicaragua like plastic sheeting to harness the biogas and PVC pipe to connect the chamber to the rebar gas range. This allows for the biogas systems to be locally manufactured and easily repairable.