Passionate about renewable energy

When I was 12 my father – a self-taught inventor - installed the first photovoltaic panel in the “Ribera del Arlanza” to supply electric energy to a “bodega” (the spanish name of the place where the wine is made). The installation, was a small photovoltaic panel with a regulation system, isolate of the electrical net in the middle of the country side. This was highly innovative because others in the village relied upon petrol generators or used car batteries, but father saw possibilities. I am talking about 1996.

At 17, before I went to university, I started to study renewable energy. I took a short course of 2 months, where I discovered all the potential of renewable energy, especially from the sun.

During my degree in electronic engineering, I always showed interest in the subjects about renewable energy and in the homework of my other modules, I always tried to apply the knowledge in a “renewable way”. For example, in electronic regulation I made a system to control a solar tracker, and in pure physics, automation, and design, I also applied the principles of renewable energy. As you can see, the possibilities of developing solar are infinite.

During my degree I studied a course about solar projects and installation, and before I presented my final major project, I studied three courses about photovoltaic systems, wind energy and energy efficiency.

I was interested in a research group in Burgos University about atmospheric physics, that has many years of research about the production of cold with solar energy through the principle of absorption.

In 2008 I began to work in the company CAI ingenieros proyectistas, that worked in unusual places  installing renewable energy in buildings like the monastery “San Pedro Cardena” or the monastery “Santo Domingo de Silos”.

I was lucky that the company carried out an ambitious project in partnership with the research group at Burgos University, just at the time when I was working there.

The project is called “hydrosolar21” and it is about the production of cold and hydrogen with renewable energy to supply the energy needs of an industrial site. It basically has two parts: Firstly, the production of hydrogen through electrolysis to retain the energy, with energy from solar panels and wind mills, and secondly the production of cold with absorption machines through the solar energy, retaining the energy in cold water.

You can imagine all the things that you can learn there.

When I made my final major project, about electric installation, it was published in different local newspapers and specialist magazines.

When I finished my studies, the economic crisis had already begun. In a field that needs subsidies to survive, there is no way to continue (no people to invest, no subsidies for investors).

When I was 27, I traveled to Bolivia and worked for the NGO 'Aski Altai' that summer. I taught the teachers and students how to assemble, use and maintain the solar cookers at their school. I would say a solar cooker is just as easy to use as a gas cooker.

I decided emigrate to the UK to Birmingham to continue my career in renewable energy. I spent the first year here basically to learn the language, in order to access English-speaking jobs.

I think solar energy is the solution of energy problems of the 'petrol' world. The key idea here is autonomy, not depend of other countries or persons for assuage your energy necessities.

Half of the wars of the modern world are because of  energy resources. I have come to think that in the future, the wars for energy will be over. That every country or every one produce his own energy is the method forget that goal, and the renewable energy is the way for achieve it.

I hope you enjoy this blog like I enjoy writing it.

Fernando Santamaria del Hoyo.