Gaborone — Solar energy is clean, has no carbon footprint and is sustainable, says director of the Institute of Energy and Technology (IET), Ms Charity Kennedy.
Speaking during the 1st graduation ceremony of solar installation students in Gaborone recently, Ms Kennedy said the graduates were expected to be catalysts for change from pollution causing energy to clean solar energy. She urged them to spearhead the adoption of clean energy solutions and contribute to a more sustainable world.
She said in a world with a growing demand for clean and sustainable energy solutions, they were at the forefront of the renewable energy revolution.
On their mandate, she said, they were established to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and STEM industries.
She said their focus was on hands-on courses that not only educated but also inspired growth and innovation, adding that they had taken the initiative to provide comprehensive training programmes in solar installation.
She said graduates had undergone rigorous training and were equipped with skills and the knowledge to excel in solar installation. She added that the graduates possessed not only technical expertise, but also a profound understanding of sustainability and the significance of renewable energy.For his part, chief energy engineer in the Department of Energy, Mr Baruti Regoeng, said the programme started at an opportune time when there was a growing need for skilled manpower in the installation of solar photovoltaic systems for power generation and water pumping.
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He said the programme was a good initiation to support the energy transition and that it heralded a new era in the development and implementation of renewable energy initiatives.
The energy sector was guided by the national energy policy (NEP) of 2021, which sought to provide energy security and to improve access to reliable and adequate supply of energy to facilitate a sustainable and low carbon footprint development.
Future developments in the energy sector would be shaped by the realities of the past performance of the sector, the availability of energy resources and the global context within which government operated.
Mr Regoeng said there was pressure for the world to adopt green energy practices to address climate change. He said Botswana has signed a number of international protocols and treaties seeking to address climate change issues and concerns.
He said Botswana has committed to ensuring 100 per cent electricity access by 2030.
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