Who we are
Community Solutions Initiative (CSI) is a not-for-profit member group of IEEE Power & Energy Society. CSI is committed to open-source design and delivery of energy solutions to the world’s poorest and most energy-deprived populations.
Our Mission
– To use renewable energy and technology to improve lives of people in remote communities ina sustainable way.
Our Vision
– To enable NGO partners to provide access to basic electrical services for 50 million people within 10 years.
Our Members are Volunteers
We are dedicated professionals who sense a unique opportunity in history to help eradicate global poverty. We all work pro-bono and our only expenses paid by IEEE are for a collaboration website. Many are practicing engineers. Some are educators, professors, managers, business owners, members of boards, doctors, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and heads of non-government organization (NGOs) with experience in assisting developing countries.
A technical team is developing plug-and-play features and interfaces to support interoperability between central community charging stations, micro-grids and home-based systems. The flagship product is a modular easy-to-install PV solar-based community charging station named the SunBlazer. Parallel teams are working on low-cost wind generation and even very low-cost pedal power solutions. Each of these devices offers an energy solution that could work in rural areas depending on the size of need.
Other members are concentrating on developing business models and working with NGOs and providers who make up the total CSI partnership. A coalition of thousands of like-minded citizens in the developed world are preparing to help the incubator process by which rural and near-urban small business entrepreneurs can grow a new national energy industry of a scope and character that best serves the community needs. This coalition consists of engineering professionals and students associated with IEEE and EWB (Engineers Without Borders) plus supporting interests including manufacturers, NGOs and on-the-ground partners.
Contact us to become a part of the CSI team and we will make sure to provide you with an outlet for your unique talents and experience to be used in overcoming this global challenge.
Community Solutions Initiative 