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A team of Dutch students has tested a solar-powered mobile clinic in Kenya, saying the prototype generated enough electricity to run medical equipment without grid power or fuel while stationary.
The vehicle, Stella Juva, was developed by 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology’s Solar Team Eindhoven in collaboration with health group Amref Health Africa.
The team drove it more than 800 km around Kenya’s Narok region, including on rough roads to the remote community of Mosiro, Solar Team Eindhoven said.
The project is designed to bring ultrasound scans, portable X-rays, vaccine refrigeration and basic diagnostic equipment to communities where health facilities can be distant and electricity is unreliable.
Solar Team Eindhoven calls Stella Juva the world’s first solar-powered ambulance.
“There are solar panels on its roof. They generate not only enough electricity for driving, but also for powering the medical equipment on the inside,” Solar Team Eindhoven spokesperson Yarno Basten said.
During a two-day field test with health workers from facilities that work with Amref Health Africa, the vehicle generated more solar energy than it consumed while its medical equipment was in use, the team said.
The team said the test showed the vehicle could handle off-road terrain and travel hundreds of kilometers.
Amref county health coordinator Viola Rutto said distance, poor roads, unreliable electricity and limited infrastructure prevented many people from accessing care.
“Communities can now have access to diagnostics in their communities and therefore receive early treatment,” she said, adding that the ultrasound equipment could help improve services for mothers and children.
The 1,350-kg vehicle has a 50-kilowatt-hour battery and solar panels on its roof and sides. Solar Team Eindhoven said it had a range of up to 715 km on paved roads in sunny conditions and an average off-road range of 360 km, depending on terrain.
The test was an early demonstration project. The team has not announced a timetable for wider deployment. — Reuters
