This session describes the development of a new, low cost, sustainable light source for poor villagers in developing countries called the Twig Light. The light makes use of a compact thermoelectric generator sandwiched and providing a thermal bridge between two pieces of ten-centimeter aluminum channel approximately fifteen centimeters in length. The lower section is cooled by sitting it in a small amount of water, while the upper section serves as a combustion chamber in which small pieces of wood or other combustible materials are burned. The subsequent temperature difference across the thermoelectric generator results in enough power to light a bank of LEDs sufficient to illuminate a small room. The technology was distributed in the rural Ghanaian village of Domeabra in the summer of 2009, and the performance will be evaluated during a return visit in 2010.

1. Brad Rogers
Mark Henderson
Michael Pugliese
College of Technology and Innovation
Arizona State University at the Polytechnic Campus

2. GlobalResolve improves the world by
building partnerships to create
technological and economically
sustainable solutions for villages in the
developing world.
The results are:
1. New products for the BoP to improve lives
2. New business ventures to build village economies
3. Life-changing educational experiences for students.

3. The GlobalResolve Method

9. • Gelfuel production system
• Efficient stoves for
Gelfuel
• Jatropha Curcas
partnerships
• Low cost water filters
• Fire into Ice project
• Orange juice
pasteurization system
• Developed at request of Chief

10. • Classes provide “traditional” education and incubate
and develop ideas
• Undergraduate students are engaged in design for the
BoP market
• Courses Include:
1. Traditional Engineering capstone sequence (6 credits)
2. Three semester interdisciplinary capstone sequence (6-9
credits)
3. Village Energy Systems

11. • One semester, 3 credits
• Seniors, Graduate students
• 75% Engineering students
• Format is Problem Based Learning
• Class requirements:
– Class project for BoP market
• Chosen by Instructor
– Individual project for BoP market
• Chosen by each student based on their interest and talents

12. • Graduate Student
(Michael Pugliese)
decided to address the
problem of clean, safe
and affordable lighting
• Solution was to utilize a
Thermoelectric Generator
to power a bank of LEDs.

13. • Upper and lower
chambers are
aluminum
channel
• Lower chamber
sits in pan of
water
• Supported by
NCIIA and
manufactured in
ASU labs

15. • Successful products
require field testing
in a well
understood
environment
• Domeabra is a
typical rural
African village,
and is serving as a
Village Laboratory

18. • Villagers preferred to use leftover coals from
cooking fires to power the unit
• The increased surface temperatures from the
hot coals led to burnout of the TEGs.
– This was not observed in the limited testing with
twig combustion
• Initial student designed prototypes from the
capstone suffered the same fate
– Thermal control is a key

19. • Combustion based lighting is expensive and
unpleasant, but is often all that is available.
• Competing “clean” technologies include PV coupled
with rechargeable batteries and direct battery
devices.
– Solar PV systems are typically more than $30.
• D Light claims a $10 product will be out soon
• Twig Light material costs are in the range of $10.
– Advantage of Twig Light – no need to wait for the Sun to
recharge
• Attending the Lighting Africa conference in Kenya
for more careful assessment

20. • Engineering Capstone team developing next
generation for field testing
– Power unit
• Thermal Management has been primary design
constraint
– Application unit
• LED arrays
• Cell phone charging
• High frequency sound for mosquito control (?)

22. • Capstone students are graduating soon
• New team of students applying for Edson
entrepreneurial grant to develop business
• Product design efforts have been initiated

24. • Several villages, with Domeabra being the
largest
• About 30 square miles
• More than 10,000 people
• Typical income is less than $2 per day, usually
less than $1
• Most villager’s income is primarily obtained
from small farms

25. • Village appraisal
meetings provide a
forum to establish
trust.
• Villagers use
products under
realistic conditions
and report on
performance.

26. • Nana Frempong Afaokwa:
– Graduate of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in
Mechanical Engineering
– Started and operated a
successful manufacturing
business in New York for 25
years
– Returned to Africa as
Paramount Chief of the
Domeabra Traditional Area
in the Asante region of
Ghana

27. • Our partners in Domeabra and at KNUST provide
continuous feedback to us.
• Product improvements are made in Arizona as
needed, and further tested in Domeabra.
– Principles of Design for Extreme Affordability are always
followed
– All products will be manufactured in Africa to the extent
possible
• When the products are shown to be reliable and
useful in the African environment, supply chains are
identified and the product is offered in the greater
market

28. • GlobalResolve is having an impact
• More than 100 students have been involved in
GlobalResolve projects
• 18 ASU students have worked on the ground
in Africa on GlobalResolve projects
• We are just beginning!

29. • Water capture in Gamoa-Dago
• Twig Light optimization, marketing, supply chain (KITE)
• Cell Phone charging attachment for twig light
• Gelfuel demonstration at Kumasi elementary school
• Fire into Ice project
• Jatropha Curcas as a Village Energy Resource
– Extraction
– Diesel based multifunction platforms
– Cooking
– Industrial fuel for Suame Magazine
• Developments in Uganda
• Certificate Program at ASU
• Global Innovation capstone at ASU

30. • Seniors in Engineering at the Polytechnic
Campus
– Students given opportunity to work on BoP
problem
– Gelfuel production facility
– Improved Gelfuel stoves
– Development of Twig Light

31. • Interdisciplinary, International, Intercultural approach
to reduction of extreme poverty through social
entrepreneurship
• Travel, learn and identify problems.
• Form global teams to address problems
– Students
– University Faculty
– Villagers and Chiefs
– NGOs
– Government organizations

32. • WeVillages
ask the questions:
• What are the problems?
• Who can solve the problem?
• Who can implement the solution? KITE
• What funding sources are available?
• We create alliances for expertise, connections and funding
• Universities, Companies, Foundations
• We involve partners on the ground
• Villagers, Companies, NGOs, Local university students