Kara Solar, Deployment of Solar Canoes in the Amazon Region

Kara Solar implements an innovative solar-powered river transportation system in the Ecuadorian Amazon to address critical environmental and social challenges, including high transportation costs, deforestation, and lack of clean energy for indigenous communities. The project develops circular business models, establishes local manufacturing capacity, and trains indigenous technical teams to provide sustainable energy solutions. A key component of the project is to strengthen the Kara Solar model with pilot projects that demonstrate productive uses of solar energy, such as river transportation, fish farming, agriculture, and telecommunications. These pilot projects will generate valuable knowledge and data that will contribute to the scaling up of solar energy solutions throughout the Amazon. The initiative will install 180 kW of solar capacity, directly benefiting 113 households and generating energy savings of 345 MWh over its lifetime. The project also includes the training of 500 indigenous technicians, 33% of whom will be women, creating 150 skilled jobs. A spin-off company, Motores Amazonas, will be established to design, manufacture and market solar-powered river transport equipment adapted to Amazonian conditions.