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The University of Botswana Clean Energy Research Centre (UB-CERC) continues to equip more Batswana with knowledge on the design, build and install solar water heaters. UB-CERC recently held a two-day dissemination workshop on Solar Water Heaters: Design, Build and Installation. The workshop brought together 34 participants drawn from tertiary institutions, solar thermal companies, non-governmental organizations and private institutions took part in the workshop.

Organised by Southern African Solar Thermal Training and Demonstration Initiative (SOLTRAIN IV) project, the workshop was funded by Austrian Development Agency (ADA). In his opening remarks, the Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Botswana, Prof Edward Dintwa, reminded the participants of the importance of the new skills they acquired and urged them to use them to contribute to nation building. Participants were taken through the basics of the solar thermal technology and exposed to a practical demonstration using a solar trailer. The course was concluded with a certification examination in which 20 participants received certification for Stage One of the solar thermal course.

The technical manager of SOLTRAIN IV project, Dr Kevin N. Nwaigwe, invited successful participants to become partners in ensuring that the goal of the project, which included reduction of carbon emissions and uptake of solar technology, was achieved. Dr Nwaigwe also introduced a 50 per cent funded demonstration system scheme in which the project could support social institutions with half of the cost for installing solar water heaters, provided they made available the other half. He encouraged participants to spread this message to potential beneficiaries.

Giving a vote of thanks, Mr Russ Nduse, a participant from Botswana International University of Science and Technology who emerged the overall best in the certification examination, thanked the instructors and facilitators for the expository and skill-based workshop. He promised to be a worthy ambassador in working towards mitigating climate change. Mr Nduse encouraged other participants to join hands towards this objective.

In her closing remarks, the Director of UB-CERC, Dr Ditiro Setlhaolo, congratulated the participants for the successful completion of the workshop. Dr Setlhaolo reminded the participants of the core mandate of the project and invited them to join hands with UB-CERC towards achieving them. She thanked the instructors, Dr Kevin N. Nwaigwe, Mr Okatoseng T. Masoso, and Mr Kago R. Rabasoma for the excellent work of knowledge transfer. She also thanked Ms Tahwa Peters, Mr Aobakwe Kolobeng and Mr Mike Lethapa for the support in facilitating the workshop. The workshop ended with award of certificates to successful participants by Dr Setlhaolo.