by Peter Nyanzi

12-04-07

An American entrepreneur is pioneering an inverter that uses a vehicle's electrical generation system to store electricity, which can then be utilised for domestic or office use.
We talked to the African Alternative Energy Solutions Managing Partner Harry Nielsen, 62, about the Power Station 1. Here are the excerpts.

Question: Tell us briefly about yourself and how you came up with this idea?

Answer: I have worked for more than 40 years mostly in the computer industry with leading computer companies in the US such as IBM. I came to Uganda about two years ago to do a computer literacy programme for an organisation.
I loved Uganda and its people but one thing I did not like about this country is the power problem.

Back in the US, I had a gadget I could plug into the cigarette lighter in my car and run my computer when I was on the road. Somehow I got thinking that if we could power a lap computer and charge a car battery, why can't we charge a large battery, put aninverter system and produce electricity?
I had a friend here who is an engineer and I told him about it. He said, ‘yeah, we should be able to do that.’ It worked pretty well and that is how I came up with the idea.

Question: Is this Power Station 1 being tried for the first time?

Answer: Yes, it is has not been tested elsewhere before. But there has been some interest from other countries to be honest with you. If I get too many problems with the bureaucracy, we may just move to another country. I hope that will not be necessary because I really love Uganda. This product is not only needed in Uganda but in all the developing countries. I think it has great potential and I think it is going to be very important for the future because of its environmental ramifications.
It is absolutely safe for the vehicle. We have orders for almost a dozen systems that we are now working on.

Question: How does it work in simple terms?

Answer: There is a piece of equipment in every car that is called an alternator, which is used for charging the battery. But as you drive your car, your alternator is only used for a very short time to re-charge the battery.
We decided to use the rest of that power to charge the Power Station. If the power station is charged after a three-hour drive, the power stored could then power lights, a TV, a radio or a computer for three to eight hours.

Question: But how will the power station help to contain the power problem?

Answer: In several ways. First, the more we offload Umeme power, the more power is available for other people. I suspect that if we can get 50 % of the cars to use the power station, the power load shedding would go away.
Then secondly, once the system is installed, it simply provides free electricity with absolutely no additional costs in fuel consumption. No bills to be paid. In our estimation it could save about 30-50 % of the energy bills.

Question: In environmental terms, how important is this power station?

Answer: Personally, I think global warming is one of the biggest problems facing humanity today. We could have a major catastrophe for our children and grand children if we do not do something about it. With this power station, we are cutting down on the need for generators in homes. It is totally silent there is no noise generated.
We hope the government gets behind it.

Question: What kind of response have you received so far?

Answer: The response has been overwhelming. Everybody who sees it says this is perfect.
We have had a strong response from the Private Sector Foundation of Uganda. We are preparing an application right now for a grant from there. I hope that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources would find this as exciting as everybody else has.

Question: How much would it cost the user and what are the returns on investment?

Answer: The least amount one should pay for the whole system is Sh 700,000 inclusive of installation charges, but it could go up to Sh 1.5 mm depending on the size of the system.
We give a one-year warranty. In terms of return on investment, the system should be able to pay for itself within the first 12-18 months.

Question: Where do you see this project in the near future?

Answer: We want to invest $ 300,000-$ 400,000 in the next 12 months and then roll out and become an international company worth $ 2-3 mm within about five years.