- The Inti Ben project consists of building and outfitting an ecological solar cabin, developed by students from the D-133 Arturo Pérez Canto de María Elena primary school together with Enel Green Power and Fundación Litro de Luz, and placed on site to be used as an assembly point for the community in case of emergencies.
María Elena, December 12, 2022– This project contributes to the María Elena community, seeking to highlight the relevance of developing projects based on renewable energy sources. Students at the D-133 Arturo Pérez Canto Primary School and Enel Green Power and Fundación Litro de Luz created Inti Bien. This ecological solar cabin will operate as a photovoltaic charging and lighting point and becomes an important assembly point for the inhabitants of the commune in case of emergencies.
“It is crucial for Enel and its subsidiaries to be an active part of the communities in which we operate our renewable generation projects. Particularly when it comes to providing support and promotion to initiatives that come from the inhabitants themselves, and especially when these ideas are presented and developed by young people”, said Montserrat Palomar, Enel Chile’s Sustainability Manager.
The cabin was built by reusing a container from the construction plant of the Valle del Sol and Finis Terrae Extension projects of Enel Green Power and runs on photovoltaic solar energy. Inside, it has eight arms that allow multiple cell phones to be charged simultaneously, along with furniture so that people can have a spot of shade while recharging their equipment. The perimeter lighting is all of the LED type, which allows greater luminosity and low consumption, allowing them to be used throughout the night, especially in cases of emergency.
“It's a fascinating example of public-private relations for these purposes, especially since the students came up with this initiative and got it off the ground. I think project-based teaching is the best because they interact and develop ideas, and here they have to do all the implementation, learn about recycling, and also learn how solar panels work. I think that is very important and also highly rewarding for them. We face great challenges in decarbonizing the energy matrix and, for this, we will need the best talent out there, and this is a perfect example”, added Dafne Pino Rifo, Regional Energy Minister for the Antofagasta Region.
“Ever since we came up with the project, we started with a small idea that grew and grew, becoming what we see today. This has been a rewarding experience. Not just in terms of work, but also for bringing us together like a family, collaborating, doing our very best, and pushing to make it a success,” said Marta Echeverría, a teacher at the D-133 Arturo Pérez Canto de María Elena primary school.
The booth's implementation keeps everyday community communications active since it has an integrated 4G router with a WIFI zone, which will give the inhabitants of María Elena access to the internet that works even in emergencies thanks to solar energy.
Enel Green Power Chile is a subsidiary of Enel Chile, the nation’s leader in the renewable energy market, with a diverse portfolio that includes wind power (564 MW), solar power (1,537 MW), hydroelectric power (92 MW), and geothermal power (81 MW).