Impact Spotlight
Multi-year partnership to expand a fleet of solar-powered boats across the Amazon
Connecting nine Achuar communities across 67 km of the Pastaza and Capahuari Rivers
Supporting the professional development of the Achuar’s 5+ Indigenous solar technicians
About
For the Achuar community, made up of roughly 6,000 inhabitants residing along the Amazon River Basin and straddling the Ecuador and Peru border, the concept of a silent, efficient boat symbolizes the fulfillment of a long-held dream. "The 'fire' canoe has always been a part of a vision," explains Oliver Utne, General Coordinator of Kara Solar. "This canoe signifies the dawn of a new, hopeful era, one in sync with the jungle's spirit, mirroring the flow of the rainforest rivers, and surmounting mental, physical, and political limitations." Appropriately, then, “Kara”, Kara Solar’s namesake, is an Achuar word meaning a dream that becomes real.
Canoes are essential to the Achuar people and throughout the Amazon. In the rainforest, boats provide the most efficient and reliable form of transportation. But diesel-powered canoes often used aren’t a good solution as they require frequent repair, leak oil into the waterways, and rely on costly imported fuel. Travel by foot is next to impossible due to the thickness of the forest and complexity of the terrain, and travel by car requires building new roads which leads to deforestation and the fragmentation of delicate habitats. Consequently, for the Achuar— who have long been stewards of their lands, successfully warding off almost all oil development, mining, and industrial agriculture—roads are rarely a viable option.
Fortunately, there’s an alternative: solar-powered canoes. Solar boats are quiet and clean, and they also release communities like the Achuar from their dependence on expensive, imported fuel. The solar panels on the boats allow them to travel for an entire day at speeds up to 9 miles per hour, and the onboard battery banks provide enough energy for three to six hours of night travel, depending on conditions.
“We use the solar canoes in different ways. We travel to different communities. We get together for sports. We bring people to the shaman. The solar canoes are a tool in our permanent struggle to defend our territory.”
HF Partnership
A Honnold Foundation Partner since 2020, Kara Solar is creating a network of solar canoe ports, connecting nine communities spanning 67 km of the Pastaza and Capahuari Rivers. This network provides opportunities for commerce within Achuar communities and increases possibilities for exchange with outside communities.
Kara Solar is expanding this same model to other communities across the Amazon, including a partnership with Size of Wales and the Wampís nation, a 2022 Honnold Foundation Partner.
With the Honnold Foundation’s continued support, Kara Solar and the Achuar will continue to expand this solar canoe network further, while continuously developing, testing, and implementing upgraded versions of their technology. Together, we’re creating a future where 100 Indigenous-owned and operated solar energy transportation hubs connect five countries across the Amazon.
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