A stone-and-wire structure — built by hand without cement or power tools of any kind — is part of one of Peter’s sustainable, clean-energy hydrokinetic systems.
Tenzin Norbu -Engineering Student
8) We were able to provide funds to accommodate Tenzin,
a 2016 graduate from Class 6 in Saldang who was not able to be accommodated at Shelter108. He will attend the Srongtsen Bhrikuti Boarding High School, also in Kathmandu. It is a school of the Tibetan Exile Government.
We received a grateful thank you letter from Tenzin. We also received a message from Tenzin’s father that he “is very much happy and blessed with the support from Altitude project and wishes to convey his warm gratitude and appreciation for the help”.
Peter Werth established Himalayan Currents to support sustainable energy and water projects in remote Himalayan villages. He provides in-stream turbine and hybrid solar/wind units to all of our schools. This is often the only source of power in the village. His goal is to “provide clean green energy to schools, gumbas and health posts with minimal environmental impact on the Dolpa.”
He is a master of “orchestrating the many different entities to pull the logistics together, including transporting the turbine, solar panels, batteries, and the 30-foot-steel poles to Nepal – using ships, trucks, helicopters, and small aircraft”, then organizing the days-long caravan of yaks and horses needed to haul the equipment to the village!
Peter has trained and equipped a cadre of local people that can install, maintain and repair the systems. He says “The “Doctor “ Gyuanu Gurung and The “Professor” Bishnu Gurung are my A team”!
Peter is always ready to support other projects in the region and contributes significant funds to several school budgets each year. He supports several Dolpo students who are earning their BA degrees in Kathmandu.
Peter is the reason Altitude Project exists. During our trek to the Upper Dolpo in 2015, we had a rest day in the village of Saldang. I needed to charge a camera battery and the only electricity in the village was at the school. The power was provided by Peter’s wind turbine, and a solar array he had installed on the roof of the school. While my battery was charging, Pema, the school coordinator, and Kunsang, a teacher, asked me over tea if I could raise some money to help their school with a funding shortfall. That was the beginning of Altitude Project. Thank you Peter!
Children at Saldang School say morning prayers as Peter’s New Wind Energy Solution‘s Firefly hybrid wind and solar system harvests wind and sun.
Let there be light!
all images courtesy of Peter Werth
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”
― Margaret Mead
