Earth Day: four Peruvian technology projects for the care of the environment

Taking care of the planet has become one of the greatest purposes of countries. Within the framework of International Mother Earth Day, to be celebrated on April 22, it is important to know what technologies are being used and are being prepared in the country to preserve the environment.

EFFICIENT COOKER AND REFRIGERATOR WITHOUT ELECTRICITY

This invention was born with the aim of improving efficiency in Peruvian cuisines, because conventional cuisines are only 40% effective.

Engineers from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru (PUCP) Fernando Jiménez and Freddy Rojas have created a kitchen that manages to achieve 60% of its efficiency and not only that, but they are also economical, since they manage to consume fuel better, making pollution is lower and greenhouse gas emissions are also reduced.

These aren't the only benefits. It also has a much stronger power, causing the cooking time to decrease by around 20%.

Regarding the refrigerator, it is a prototype called Cool-K, which will serve as a great support for families with limited resources.

Its benefits like the kitchen are several and among them are the following: it will be low cost, has a modular design and works without needing to be connected to electrical energy.

The artisanal refrigerator is made with inputs such as clay and wood, materials that preserve fresh food two to five times more compared to the natural state and this happens thanks to evaporative cooling.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE STATION

Electric cars seem to be one of the temporary solutions to reduce environmental pollution and in order to promote them in the country, a group of researchers from the National University of Engineering, has been carrying out a DC type charging station.

What does it consist of? At this station all electric vehicles will be able to fully charge in a range of 30 to 45 minutes.

Electronic engineers Damián Sal and Rosas Celi are leading this project.

SOLUTION THAT EXTENDS THE LIFE OF FRUITS

This product has been created by UTEC students. The creation of the project called MikuyTec (mikuy in Quechua, means eating) seeks to preserve fruits and vegetables longer.

The invention has been recognized worldwide and won the Grand Prize at the iGEM Design League, a global synthetic biology event aimed at students from Latin America.

How is it produced? It is based on antifungal peptides and antioxidants (proteins), which will be procreated on a large scale through genetic modification. This includes sintering through the bacteria Escherichia coli.

The leader of this research team is Nadia Chamana, who also made it clear that this solution, well apart from extending the life of fruits and vegetables, will also reduce a large amount of waste caused by fungi.

This would be the first Peruvian startup focused on synthetic biology.

CLONED BAMBOO FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Scientists from the Peruvian Amazon Research Institute are generating a technology that will allow the cloning, industrialization and capture of carbon from three species of native bamboo, located in the province of Moyobamba, the Central Forest and the Manantay del Ucayali micro-basin.

This project is being financed by Concytec, with support from the World Bank, the Production Technological Institute - ITP and the CITE Forestal Pucallpa.

The principal researcher of the project, Jorge Revilla, clarified that the cloning process “consists of taking a part of the plant, that is, a branch or part of the root, and through root induction tests, to be able to generate new plants.”

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