Impact Spotlight
Solar-powered boats and recharge stations, increasing mobility and energy access for 3,500 people in remote Indineous communities.
Supporting the conservation of 12 million acres of rainforest by providing alternatives to roads and extractive industry
Training for local Indigenous technicians to manage and maintain infrastructure
About
For the roughly 6,000 Achuar people living along the Pastaza River Basin spanning Ecuador and Peru, dreams hold special significance, guiding decisions and shaping collective action. The idea of a silent, efficient boat represents the realization of a long-held vision: a “fire” canoe that embodies the dawn of a new, hopeful era in harmony with the jungle, flowing with the rivers, and overcoming mental, physical, and political constraints. Appropriately, Kara, Kara Solar’s namesake, is an Achuar word meaning a dream that becomes real.
Canoes are essential to the Achuar people and throughout the Amazon. In the rainforest, boats provide the most efficient and reliable form of transportation. But diesel-powered canoes often used aren’t a good solution as they require frequent repair, leak oil into the waterways, and rely on costly imported fuel. Travel by foot is next to impossible due to the thickness of the forest and complexity of the terrain, and travel by car requires building new roads which leads to deforestation and the fragmentation of delicate habitats. Consequently, for the Achuar— who have long been stewards of their lands, successfully warding off almost all oil development, mining, and industrial agriculture—roads are rarely a viable option.
Fortunately, there’s an alternative: solar-powered canoes. Solar boats are quiet and clean, and they also release communities like the Achuar from their dependence on expensive, imported fuel. For nearly a decade, Kara Solar has partnered with the Achuar to build a fully operational solar transportation network serving nine communities and supported by local solar technicians. Kara Solar’s work has also rippled to seven additional Indigenous communities hosting solar transport and energy hubs in Peru, Brazil, Suriname, and the Solomon Islands. With years of experience and local expertise, the Achuar are now poised to lead the solar revolution throughout the Amazon.
“We use the solar canoes in different ways. We travel to different communities. We get together for sports. We bring people to the shaman. The solar canoes are a tool in our permanent struggle to defend our territory.”
HF Partnership
Building on a multi-year partnership with the Honnold Foundation, Kara Solar will scale its Solar Rivers Initiative across the Pastaza River basin in Ecuador. The project will deploy solar boats and recharge stations that provide clean mobility and electricity for schools, health centers, and bioenterprises. The transport systems are designed in-house by Kara Solar’s manufacturing spin-off, Motores Amazonas, which produces robust electric motors specifically for jungle conditions. Ongoing training programs equip local communities with the tools to manage and maintain this solar infrastructure. Together, these efforts strengthen Indigenous autonomy, protect biodiversity, and demonstrate a scalable model for sustainable Amazonian infrastructure.
The Honnold Foundation has also continued to promote Kara Solar’s work, supporting storytelling efforts like River of Spirits, appearing alongside Kara Solar during NYC and SF Climate Weeks, and more. Read more about Kara Solar’s work in The New York Times, The Guardian, Washington Post, and ongoing Instagram series, “Stories from the Amazon”.
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