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Vehicle parts, scrap, and cattle farming waste gave rise to solutions used on a farm in the interior of Sergipe, where solar energy, wind generation, biogas, and mechanical adaptations became part of the rural routine in an artisanal way.
In the village of Cruz da Donzela, in Malhada dos Bois, Sergipe, the farmer Emanuel Messias Cardoso da Silva, known as Nonô, transformed reused parts into equipment used in the routine of his own farm, including a solar tractor, a windmill, and a biodigester.
Published by the portal Só Sergipe on February 23, 2021, the story shows the farmer as a resident of the rural community, 64.5 kilometers from Aracaju, and responsible for creating practical solutions with recycled material to meet day-to-day demands.
Solar tractor born out of necessity in the field
Among the creations attributed to Nonô, the one that stands out the most is the tricycle he calls a small tractor, assembled with a forklift motor, Gol gearbox, battery, and a solar panel installed on the top of the structure.
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Initially created to transport water to the cattle, the vehicle also began to be used for commuting between the house and the farm, on a route of about five kilometers within the rural community where the farmer lives.
“I assembled this small tractor to take water to the cattle. This small tractor has a forklift motor, a Gol gearbox, battery, and the solar panel,” Nonô told the report, explaining the practical origin of the adaptation.
After being bothered by the need to stop using it to charge the battery, the farmer decided to install a solar panel on the equipment, an investment of R$ 1,100 that began to generate energy and also protect the driver from the sun.
Scrap parts turned into work tool
More than just a curious demonstration, the small tractor became part of the property’s routine and began to meet concrete tasks, especially in supporting work with the animals and in the farmer’s daily commute between the residence and the farm area.
In the community of Cruz da Donzela, the artisanal machine also sparked interest among residents, who began to ask for rides, try to drive the vehicle, or take photos with Nonô, according to the report published by the Sergipe portal.
The assembly brings together components from different origins in an improvised but functional rural solution, in which a forklift engine, car gearbox, battery, and solar panel were integrated to fulfill a defined purpose within the property.
Described by Só Sergipe as self-taught, Nonô studied up to the fourth grade of the old primary school and reported an interest in generators since childhood, when he was already experimenting with water wheels and equipment related to energy production.
Windmill and biodigester complete the inventions
In addition to the small tractor powered by solar energy, the farmer also assembled a windmill for wind energy generation on the farm, where he keeps some cattle and reuses parts taken from vehicles, buses, and household appliances.
In this equipment, according to the report, an Opala differential, parts from two bus luggage racks, and parts from a washing machine were used in an adaptation that, according to Nonô, supplies the house on the rural property.
Another solution created by the farmer is the biodigester installed at the farm residence, a system fed with cattle manure and used to reduce the need to purchase gas on-site, according to the report published by Só Sergipe.
“I put cattle manure in the biodigester. Having one cow, there’s gas for a family,” said Nonô, describing the use of available waste on the property to meet a domestic need related to gas supply.
Rural inventor also repairs equipment in the village
Outside the inventions used on the farm, Nonô’s relationship with machines also appears in the services provided to the community, where he is sought after to repair faulty household appliances and cannot always meet all requests.
Mentioned in the report, another piece of equipment made by the farmer is a septic tank cleaner used in services in the region, reinforcing the profile of someone who reuses materials and adapts solutions for local problems without presenting the creations as commercial products.
On the same rural property, the trajectory brings together three fronts of energy use: the vehicle with a solar panel, the windmill for electricity generation, and the biodigester linked to domestic gas supply, all based on reuse and practical knowledge.
Married and father of four, Nonô associates his creations with an interest in clean energy and a skill built since childhood, when, according to the portal, he made his first generator at the age of eight.
Although it arouses curiosity due to its unusual appearance and combination of parts, the case is not presented as an assembly manual, as adapted vehicles, batteries, electrical systems, energy generation, and biodigesters require technical care.
In Malhada dos Bois, the story gained strength by emerging far from major technological centers and by transforming common materials, such as automotive parts, metal scrap, household appliance components, and livestock farming waste, into useful solutions.
How many other Brazilian solutions still go unnoticed in small rural communities?
