EMPOWER: Vol 4. Issue 3 – Sept / Oct 2023

Chief Tunde was a large man. I first met him at IEEE PAC-19 in Abuja. I heard him before I saw him, he had a loud voice, an even louder laugh. I soon discovered that he had the largest heart humanly possible.

Chief Tunde was an IEEE Smart Village elder. We remember him as a person of many ideas, with the drive and persistence to realize many of them. He only saw failure as a stepping stone to success. He mobilized resources wherever he could find them, invariably leveraging prior enterprises in innovative ways. He was an organizer who brought teams to work together. We remember him as a mentor to many.

I leave it to others to describe his successes outside IEEE Smart Village. With us alone, the list is extensive, so I will limit myself to a few recent ones. In 2018 he started the “Shaybis Electroprenure Center” to provide hands on training to engineering students and the general public. Soon his graduates were in hot demand, and he himself hired several of them in subsequent enterprises. After the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, by mid-2020 he deployed a fixed Sunblazer Solar PV system to provide electricity to one wing of a local hospital, and quickly expanded to support two wings. Most recently he set up the first fully solar powered rice mill in west Africa. His customers were mostly women in Kwara province in Nigeria, and they started coming to him even before he installed all his machinery! He was an active mentor in the Africa Working Group’s Entrepreneurs’ Den, where his critiques and advice were gratefully received.

As we mourn his passing, we remember the privilege of working with him. We soldier on in tribute to his work, and the joy he brought to all our lives. May he rest in peace.

-Rajan Kapur

IEEE Smart Village (ISV) hosted its first global conference in India at Siksha ‘o’ Anusandhan campus, Bhubaneshwar on August 10-11, 2023. The conference was conducted under the aegis of the SEFET 2023 conference. The scope of conference was to create the visibility for the IEEE Smart Village and networking platform with the social organization, rural community development foundations and technology providers in area of rural development. The key objective was to create awareness on how ISV provides the initial technology solutions and seed funding needed to create self-sustaining community-owned and operated businesses, entrepreneurs to transform communities with reliable electricity, education, Internet, safe water, sanitation, electric transportation, and farm mechanization. This conference provided a networking platform for experts, practitioner working towards Rural Community Empowerment to show case their projects, challenges and success stories with Enterprise development.

There were 8 Sessions conducted over two days and ended with concluding session. The conference was attended by 87 delegates from various rural development foundation, social organizations and students from ISV Student volunteer’s chapter in universities. 23 presentations were made by the eminent experts on the subject and 5 student idea run presentations. There was also the Student panel discussion on the topic of “Development enables and barriers”. The entire event was hosted by Mrs. Rashmi Naik, ISV SAWG member.

The Inaugural session I was graced by Chief Guest – Mr. Vijay Mahajan CEO Rajiv Gandhi foundation. The dignitaries present on  dais during inaugrual session were Mr. Vijay Mahajan – CEO Rajiv Gandhi Foundation; Dr. Ramakrishna Kapaguntu-Chief Technical Advisor Efica EnSmart Solutions; Dr Rajan Kapur –President ISV; Mr. Sanjay Patki – Senior Vice President ISV and Dr. Satish Chetwani – Chair, South Asia Working Group (SAWG). The inaugural function ended with Mr. Lwanga Herbert making the audience aware about various humanitarian-based IEEE bodies.

The Session II & III were on Integrated Livelihood Development for rural Communities. The session commenced with SAWG Projects review by Dr. Satish Chetwani. The other distinguished speakers were – Dr. Vibha Gupta, Chairperson, Magan Sangrahalay Samiti enlightened the audience about the integrated village cluster development in the Aravalli community. Mr. Parth Sarthi CSR Manager, Tata steel on “Aqua farming”, spoke about pond based integrated farming system for sustainable enterprise.  Dr. Arvind Shaligram, CEO, SPPU Research park Foundation of Savitribai Phule Pune University introduced various digital intervention like Machine vision, Robotics, harvesting robots, weeding robots etc for rural youth, which can be used for the livelihood generation. He also stressed on use of various samrt sensors in smart farming. Post lunch, Dr. Rutooj Deshpande, Founder and CEO – GoVidyouth Mobility joined virtually and delivered a talk on “Hybrid Electric Scooters for Rural Applications” which can potentially use for livelihood development within the communities. Dr. Deepak Gadhia, Chairman and Managing Director – Sunrise CSP spoke on “Solar Thermal Stram for livelihood” by use of Parabolic and Scheffler Solar Thermal Concentrators as an integrated solution for smart villages. Mrs. Nazrawit (Naz) Medhanie Director Regional program African Development Board, Rwanda, Colorado, USA, spoke about the walk-in cold storage in Rwanda for increased agricultural market potential. Mr. Porferio R. Jabla from Philippines addressed the audience on transforming and regenerating off-grid communities through Micro-hydropower.

Session IV was on “Education, Skill Building and Vocational Awareness for community development” began with Dr. Sangita Garg Chief Architect and head Strategic Analytics – Tata Consulting Service on “Education for Rural Development”, addressed the audience with context and creating thinking which together leads to seeding innovation in young minds. Dr. Sudha Balagopalan’s – Dean, Vidya Vikas Academy of Science and Technology, “Road to Vocational Training of Children”, said that education, skill building and vocational awareness will lead to community development. She showcased few glimpses of “Snap circuits S-100 kit” which will develop the interest of the kids in electrical and electronics stuff. The session continued with presentation from Mr. Paresh Vora – Director of India Operation, Win Foundation spoke about WATSAN; i.e., Water and Sanitization which will help in maternal and child health. To conclude with the session, Dr. Bijayshree Satpathy founder and Director of Agzistence provided a very inspiration insight about future ready women farmers, their education and awareness for sustainable & productive agricultural practice.  The session ended with the distribution of the certificates of appreciation to the participants of Vocational awareness initiative by Mr. Sanjay Patki- Senior Vice president ISV.

Session V on “Student Initiatives” began with the student presentations for Idea Run 2023, moderated by Mr. Girish Khilari, Director – India operations, Elliot Systems. The shortlisted candidates presented their ideas. Some of the innovative ideas were based on Aquaponic systems, AI based early warning system for mitigating human wild life conflict, Sustainable Pad making and Improved biomass cook stove for rural applications. The audience has a good interaction with the finalists and appreciated their survey, efforts & solutions to the real-life problems. The session continued with student’s panel discussion on “Addressing the concerns in development disparity – “Barriers & Enablers” with Prof. Saibal Chatterjee being the moderator. The session ended with distribution of Certificate of Appreciation to all students of Idea run Presentation and Student panel.

Session VI on “Achieving Sustainability & Scalability” was initiated with Senior Vice President, ISV – Mr. Sanjay Patki’s talk on “Lean Canvas – Tool for Business plan of village enterprises”. He provided the deep insights on the effective use of this tool for submitting the proposals to ISV. This was followed by various business models for village enterprises by Dr. Ashok Das, Founder and CEO Sunmoksha. He described the key element of business model, ownership models and sustainable service framework for rural enterprises.  He also mentioned the case study of the rural enterprise of Kudagoan village, where sunmoksha has executed the similar business model for the community development.  The session continued with the presentation from Mr Lalit Sharma- Principal Scientist – SM Sehgal Foundation on “Household water treatment”. He stressed on the potential threats of water pollution and introduced various solutions developed on the household water treatment that are deployed in the rural communities for treating household water. The session ended with presentation from the Dr Nitin Goel, CEO Inficold on the “Low carbon Cold Chain Solution” He described various sustainable technology developed by Inficold like solar cold storage, Solar Milk cooler and Solar instant Milk for rural enterprises and their application in various projects in villages of Mizoram, Dehradun and Gujarat.

Session VII on “Funding the Rural Enterprises” began with a talk on “Cooperate Social responsibility Funding” by Mr. Ashoka Vitthal – IEEE India Philanthropy Manager. He informed the requirement and management of various CSR funds. Dr Rajan Kapur spoke about ISV project intake process and requirement of project intake process. The session ended with presentation from Mr. Raghuraman Director E-hands Energy Pvt. Ltd., highlighting the various finance models for rural enterprises projects. He introduced the concept of blended finance and described the key features of blended finance.

Session VIII: Concluding Session began remarks by Dr. Rajan Kapur – President ISV, stressing on being the volunteer for the ISV. Mr Sanjay Patki Senior Vice President ISV summarized the way forward focusing on the continuous engagement with Networking partners and their role as an expert for ISV projects. Dr. Sasi Kottiyal – Vice-Chair, SAWG mentioned about the work of ISV members and digital infrastructure through educational team. He concluded the valedictory session with the Vote of Thanks.

Group photo- Conference Participants, Speakers, Invited Guest and SAWG ISV members.

Group photo- Conference Participants, Speakers, Invited Guest and SAWG ISV members

The field visit to Kudagoan island village and krunti Village around 220km from Bhubaneshwar was arranged and coordinated by Sunmoksha on 12th and 13th Aug 2023. The visit showcased the application of Solar PV technology and Smart Irrigation system for fulfilling the energy needs of village through community engagement and sustainable business model.

You can help engineer and energize local communities with just a little time. The IEEE Smart Village (ISV) North America has proved that outreach and collaboration, combined with skills, expertise, and a caring heart, can have a big impact. How can you help us to go further and achieve our goal?

The North America Working Group (NAWG) was created as part of the ISV Project to ensure regional representation across the globe. The NAWG is one of 5 Regional Working Groups and brings together individuals in North America to contribute their skills and resources towards empowering communities and transforming people’s lives.

In support of the ISV mission, the NAWG will use community development principles to promote and support local entrepreneurs in North America through technology expertise, seedfunding, and mentorship.

There are three NAWG main objectives, which are to:

1. Outreach and discover entrepreneurs who need to advance their business operations, especially in technology, and encourage them to submit a concept note to Smart Village. The NAWG members will review the concept note and collaborate with the entrepreneur to complete it for submission to Smart Village.
2. Work with the members of IEEE and local experts to assist in the development of the initiative. In the review process, there must be clear evidence that the entrepreneur has identified issues and solutions through community consultations.
3. Enhance program reach and create scalable impact.

Current Projects:

Over the past two years, the North America Working Group (NAWG) has dedicated itself to community outreach, particularly among Indigenous Peoples. This effort has fostered trust and strong relationships, leading to productive collaborations and knowledge sharing. NAWG’s commitment to cultural sensitivity has been central to their success.

The outcomes have been significant. NAWG is currently involved in consultations to support project development, aiming for seed funding, technical assistance, or both. This milestone reflects tangible progress towards empowering Indigenous communities across North America.
These diverse projects span from Alaska to Hawaii, Mexico to Arizona. They are community-driven, emphasizing a bottom-up approach that aligns with local needs and aspirations.

NAWG’s journey highlights the power of building genuine relationships and fostering trust within communities. It underscores the importance of cultural sensitivity in effective outreach. This experience showcases the potential for positive change when organizations collaborate closely with local communities, respecting their wisdom and aspirations for sustainable development.

As NAWG continues to support these dynamic projects, it plays a pivotal role in the growth and empowerment of Indigenous communities across North America. Leveraging its trust, experience, and dedication, NAWG stands as a symbol of tireless outreach, actively listening to community needs and offering the resources and expertise to turn their visions into reality.

ISV NAWG Committee Members

• Rajan Kapur, President, IEEE Smart Village
• Joan Kerr, VP, NAWG
• Ashok Das, Co-Chair, Outreach Coordinator
• Ray Larsen, Co-Founder, ISV, NAWG EdCom Committee Representative
• Gerro Prinsloo, Project Coordinator
• Don Gringas, NAWG Project Development Committee Representative
• Sai Tallavarjula, Member @large
• Irene Herremans, member @ large, ISV Document and Reporting Taskforce
• Shreenithi Lakshmi Narasimhan, Marketing Committee Representative
• David Lansdale, member @large
• Pali Singh, ISV EdCom Chair, NAWG member @large

Call for Volunteers: Join the Movement!

Be the Change with NAWG

NAWG stands as a symbol of dedication, partnership, and empowerment. By volunteering with us, you become a driving force for positive change in Indigenous and other vulnerable communities. Together, we can make a lasting impact and help these communities thrive.

Join the NAWG team today and be a part of a transformative journey that will enrich your life while making a real difference in the lives of Indigenous and other vulnerable Peoples. Together, we can build a brighter future that transforms and supports great change in our communities.

In alignment with the goals of the ISV Program, the North American Working Group invites you to become an agent of positive change. By working together, we can illuminate the path toward a brighter and more inclusive future for all.

The North American Working Group welcomes individuals passionate about making a difference. Whether you possess technical expertise, have an interest in renewable energy, or simply want to contribute to positive change, there’s a role for you in this initiative. If you’re ready to lend your skills, knowledge, and time to empower communities and foster progress, we invite you to complete our volunteering application form.

For more information : Joan Kerr joankerr@fbsc.org

And Shreenithi Lakshmi Narasimhan shreenithicln@gmail.com

About the Authors

Joan Kerr is an Entrepreneur, Community Leader, and Artist. She is the Founder and CEO of the Foundation for Building Sustainable Communities (fbsc.org) and the Regional Vice President for the North America Working Group.

Shreenithi Lakshmi Narasimhan is a young leader in sustainable building design and has spearheaded initiatives for evaluation, master planning, and design to electrify buildings worldwide. She has been at the forefront of implementing microgrids integrating solar & battery storage systems for buildings across North America.

Electrical danger does not come solely from touching an energized conductor. Sparking between conductors, or a conductor and ground, can not only ignite a fire, but result in damaging explosions and hurt even at a distance.

In a previous article in this Newsletter (March 2023), we explored one risk from electricity, when electric current travels through the body after contact is made directly or indirectly with a live conductor. We saw how such currents can lead to involuntary muscle contractions (including the heart) as they travel through the body, and what mitigation measures can be used to minimize such risks.

Direct contact leading to current conduction within the body is, however, only one danger from electricity. The other danger is sparking and arc flash when electricity flows through air, between two energized conductors or between an energized element and ground. Roughly half of accidents from electricity result from this. We will briefly explore this aspect of electricity along with tools to better understand it and means to mitigate the risk it poses.

At the most basic level, an electric arc is the result of an abrupt electrical discharge between two elements at different voltage levels. It happens when the voltage difference is sufficiently large to create an insulation breakdown, creating an electrically conductive channel through a normally-insulated medium such as air. One danger is that arc/sparks obviously can ignite a fire if combustible material is nearby. The other danger, less well known and the focus of this article, is that the available energy is released very suddenly, with potentially catastrophic consequences to people and property nearby.

Air has a so-called withstand potential of approximately 10 kV/cm [2]. That is, air insulates as long as the voltage difference between a conductor and its surroundings is lower than this number, or the distance is sufficiently large. Of course, the withstand number varies with a number of factors, such as humidity, air density, etc. But, as long as voltages are low, or the distance is large enough, electricity is confined. If voltage increases too much, or the two charged elements come closer together, the dam breaks and suddenly electric current flows through the air. This is what happens naturally during lightning storms, when clouds are at a different potential from the earth, or during accidents.

As the air transitions from insulating to conductive, air changes state and becomes a plasma where electrons and ions move freely, producing a path for the flow of current. This results in the emission of heat, light, pressure, and sound. The problem is not just the resulting short-circuit. It is the explosive nature of the event, where energy is released in a very short time. Depending on circumstances, especially how much energy is available, and whether the spark is sustained (if the conductor remains energized) or not, the arc can degenerate in one of two situations, as defined by NFPA standards [2,3]:

• Arc Flash – arc flash is the result of the plasma current flow between conductors or conductor(s) and ground. The plasma temperature can reach or even exceed 5,000oC (for comparison, the sun’s surface is at around 25,000oC).
• Arc Blast – the explosive expansion of an arc vaporizing copper, aluminum and metallic parts surrounding the arc will produce molten metal, shrapnel, extreme sound pressure, toxic gases and explosive forces which are all part of the arc blast. Vaporized copper will expand at 67,000 times its solid form, the noise can exceed 160 db when measured 3 meters away, and the shrapnel can travel at speeds in excess of 1,120 km/hr. Arc blast is the next level up from a flash, when the energy released in the flash is sufficient to melt and destroy conductors and surrounding elements.

From a practical point of view, the first important lesson is electrical accidents do not necessarily involve contact. Burns and worse can occur, even when one is at some distance from the electrical conductor. Accordingly, standard organizations worldwide have defined three zones around exposed conductors: Prohibited, Restricted, and Limited, see figure. Barriers should be placed at the limited boundary. Closer in, specific training and special equipment are needed.

From this quick overview, simple precautions come to mind that can go a long way in terms of prevention:

1. Just not touching a conductor does not mean that you are safe. Even at lower voltages, place physical barriers around energized elements.
2. Add covers and barriers where there are exposed conductors, including battery terminals.
3. Avoid conducting elements (tools, ladders, etc) in proximity to energized conductors. These will in effect reduce the breakdown distance by reducing the air gap between energized elements and ground or other conductors.
4. Move any combustible material from the vicinity of electricity.
5. Electrical risks: What is arc flash, and what to do about it?

Bruno Lequesne, Chair, ISV Safety Quality Reliability and Standards Committee
The ISV Safety, Quality, Standards and Reliability Committee is proposing in this Newsletter a series of short articles on various aspects of basic electrical safety. We hope the reader will find these useful. Feel free to ask questions or suggest topics of interest to you (bruno.lequesne@ieee.org).

For further reading:
1. https://en.wikipdia.org/wiki/Electric_spark.
2. J. P. Nelson, J. Redmond, “Understanding the North American Electrical Codes for Global Adoption in Reducing Electrical Injuries and Fatalities”, Proc. of the 2019 IEEE PES/IAS PowerAfrica Conference.
3. NFPA: www.nfpa.org/About-NFPA. NFPA stands for National Fire Protection Association. It is “a global [originally American] self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards”.
4. ESFI – Electric Safety Foundation International, especially: https://www.esfi.org/workplace-safety/standards-best-practices/#toggle3.