MDSE Provides Electricity for Yabucoa Elder Care Center in Puerto Rico

On June 24-28, 2018, a team of three students and one advisor from the Maryland Sustainability Engineering (MDSE) organization joined with Global Solace and traveled to Puerto Rico to provide electricity to the Yabucoa Elder Care Center (nursing home) by installing a solar photo-voltaic system as well as emergency backup electricity to the center for future storm-related emergencies.

The Puerto Rico travel team consisted of John Heide (Sophomore, Electrical and Computer Engineering), Megan Gertmenian (Sophomore, Civil Engineering), Meredith Bertulaitis (Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering), and Advisor Bryan Quinn, Director of Technical Operations for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

In 2018, Hurricane Maria devastated the electrical grid in the town of Yabucoa, downing trees and wires, and destroying many homes. Roads have been cleared since but the electrical grid restoration is still in the process of being rebuilt, which can take up to a year. Quinn and the team of students assisted with the installation of a 3 kW solar array on the upper flat concrete roof of the building, installation of inverter and batteries in the laundry room and interconnection to the building electrical system, and replacement of approximately 50 percent of the existing light tubes and bulbs with LEDs to reduce the electrical load.

MDSE is an organization dedicated to sustainable development locally and abroad. In partnering with local and international communities, MDSE develops cutting-edge engineering solutions to real-world problems. Through student-driven efforts, MDSE develops both sustainable engineering projects and globally minded engineering students.

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable development through engineering assistance and training internationally responsible engineering students. EWB is the sister organization to MDSE.

Published August 14, 2018