GOOD WORKS
GOOD WORKS, GOOD REWARDS
For Dr. Nowicki, the project has been one of the most rewarding he’s worked on in more than 20 years at the U of C. “We’ve got this research side, but we’ve also got this practical and humanitarian side. It’s not often at a university that you can get formal funding to do that,” he says. “I love doing engineering research and development, and then seeing the outcome being applied to improve living standards in developing countries. It’s that combination that really hooks me.” Dr. Wood is of the same mindset. An Australian who arrived at the U of C in 2010, he has long believed renewable energy has the power — literally and figuratively — to change lives in developing countries. “I’ve always been attracted to the idea that renewable energy can be a very strong component of development and poverty alleviation for remote communities. And I’m not just talking about the developing world — I’m talking about remote communities in Australia and Canada, too,” he says. The project has come to an end, sort of. KAPEG is still on the ground, visiting homes with DELC units to evaluate how they’re working and being used. The U of C contingent is committed to doing more development work abroad. The group’s dream is for DELC technology to find its way to villages across Asia, India, and Africa, and it's looking for partners around the world. The team has already connected with an engineering company in Ethiopia, and they may end up working together to bring hydro electrification to remote villages there. The APEGA Members and researchers hope to see the day when disparities between rich and poor are eliminated. “Engineers are fundamentally service beings. We are here to serve the community. We are here to look after our planet,” says Dr. Nowicki. “It just seems to be a no-brainier that if we can bring renewable energy technology to the developing world, that’s what we should do.”
HYDRO HELPERS Dr. David Wood, P.Eng., (right) and U of C mechanical engineering PhD student Ram Chandra Adhikari (left) pose with a hydro technician in Nepal. The hydro system is housed in the building behind them. -photo courtesy Dr. David Wood, P.Eng.
“Engineers are fundamentally service beings. We are here to serve the community. We are here to look after our planet. It just seems to be a no-brainier that if we can bring renewable energy technology to the developing world, that’s what we should do.” - DR. ED NOWICKI, P.ENG., FEC, FGC (HON.)
78 | PEG WINTER 2015
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