Assessment and intervention
How can we ensure that children and adults with communicative, cognitive or developmental challenges can participate in ...
Project
Innovative Living Lab Suriname
Climate-driven micro-hydropower installations for sustainable climate adaptation in the agriculture and education sectors
Combining advanced micro-hydropower turbines with data-driven water management to ensure reliable energy production while strengthening local communities. This project goes beyond delivering clean energy and reducing CO₂ emissions. It also supports education & healthcare through community strengthening, research and long-term collaboration.
About this project
Suriname is a large country that has historically been heavily reliant on fossil fuels for its energy supply. This is due in part to challenging climatic conditions, outdated infrastructure, and limited access to knowledge about sustainable technologies.
Our project aims to change that. We are installing small hydropower turbines that generate electricity using flowing river water. What makes this project unique is that we control these systems using real-time climate data on rainfall, water levels, and water use. This allows us to respond to fluctuations in rainfall and droughts, ensuring a stable and green source of energy.
But the project is not just about technology. Together with local communities – with a specific focus on education and healthcare – we explore their needs and how green energy can best support them. To do this, we use the Implementation Research Logic Model (Smith, 2022), a method that helps us identify local priorities, shape concrete actions, and evaluate whether our approach is effective in daily life.
In this way, we’re building not only a climate-friendly energy system, but also better education, improved healthcare, and stronger, more resilient communities.
Objectives
This project has six main objectives:
- to provide stable green electricity and reduce CO₂ emissions;
- to characterize the local water system;
- to develop a climate data-driven framework to optimize turbine performance;
- to create a cloud-based decision support system;
- to increase community awareness and understanding of green energy within local communities; and
- to gain, in close collaboration with local communities, in-depth insight into the potential of permanent green energy for education and healthcare.
Thomas More facilitates participatory activities, such as workshops and focus groups, aimed at identifying the needs and expectations of the community regarding green energy. In addition, Thomas More supports collaboration between local stakeholders and government ministries to jointly plan follow-up actions.
As a bridge between local expertise and international knowledge, Thomas More contributes to a balanced approach that addresses the specific needs of the communities involved.
Partners
This project is part of the Flanders International Climate Action Programme and is funded by the Government of Flanders.
We join forces with various Flemish and Surinamese partners - Turbulent Hydro, HAEDES, VITO, AMPS Power Solutions, Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. - and the Anton de Kom University of Suriname to stimulate Suriname's transition to sustainable, climate-friendly energy.
Onderzoekers
Researcher
Kirsten Schraeyen
Kirsten Schraeyen (PhD) has been a lecturer-researcher in the Human and Well-being Research Group since 2004. She has expertise in oral and written language development disorders in a multilingual context.
Research line coordinator - Researcher
Dorien Vandenborre
Dorien Vandenborre (PhD) has been a lecturer-researcher at the People and Well-being Expertise Centre since 2015. She has expertise in neurogenic communication disorders and qualitative research (in-depth interviews).
Related research lines