Butterfly Space Malawi

The project is located in Nkhata Bay, Malawi, in collaboration with Butterfly Space Eco Lodge, which is situated approximately 50 kilometers from Mzuzu, the country’s fourth-largest city. The primary objective is to install two wind turbines at nearby schools, with the first serving as a demonstration unit built in cooperation with the local community. The project emphasizes sourcing all materials locally, including exploring ways to manufacture turbine blades from recycled plastic, potentially in partnership with Waste to Wind.

While the first turbine is assured, the construction of the second will depend on available time and funding; Butterfly Space has applied for funding and is awaiting a response. Additionally, the project aims to facilitate knowledge exchange with the community, empowering them to build more wind turbines in schools that lack grid access. By the project’s conclusion, a detailed manual will be developed to enable other schools to replicate the design.

The technical requirements include using the wind turbines to power lights and chargers for laptops and phones, particularly during evening hours from 6 PM to 10 PM, with no power needed overnight. A battery pack will be installed to act as a buffer, although exact figures regarding power needs and the number of chargers are still to be provided. If time permits, a second unit will be constructed; otherwise, preparatory work will be completed for the local community to carry on with the installation.