https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Solar home system kit to be launched at Indaba

8th February 2013

By: Samantha Herbst

Creamer Media Deputy Editor

  

Font size: - +

Local solar products manu- facturer SolarWorld Africa, part of the Solar-World Group, will launch a complete home solar system kit at this year’s Africa Energy Indaba (AEI), which will take place from February 19 to 21 at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Johannesburg.

The solution, which was designed with the African market in mind, provides a range of electronic regulation plugs, such as USB and cellphone charging connections, to form a complete plug-and-play solution that will be distributed across the continent.

SolarWorld Africa MD Gregor Kuepper tells Engineering News that the company’s current module range will also be on show and says the industry can expect a new module range to be launched later this year.

Having attended numerous trade fairs on behalf of Solar-World Africa, Kuepper has noticed a definite growth in solar awareness in Africa and is confident that, as a result, the AEI will become more popular.

He

is optimistic that this year’s Indaba will attract more delegates, exhibitors and industry players.

“It is still a young fair, operating in a relatively small market environment, but interest in solar energy and technol- ogy is, nevertheless, growing steadily.”

He believes the AEI will help SolarWorld Africa showcase its products and services to industry stakeholders and the local and international market.

The 2013 AEI will mark the company’s second year in attendance.

Industry Outlook

Kuepper has witnessed a definite growth in the solar energy market since his appointment at SolarWorld Africa in 2006 and, while the growth has not been exponential, he believes it is becoming increasingly viable for the public to convert to solar energy.

He identifies commercial and residential solar applications as having the biggest potential for growth in this sector, besides the many large-scale solar developments that are under way.

“One of the biggest challenges for energy bodies is to ensure that African countries are not constructing future power supply on limited resources, but on unlimited resources in the renewable-energy sector,” says Kuepper, adding that the biggest challenge for sub-Saharan Africa is to find ways to generate independent electricity.

He further highlights the demand for education and skills development as another challenge plaguing the African energy sector, particularly in the solar energy sector. While there are several estab- lished companies that provide training in South Africa, of which SolarWorld is one, the industry needs to reach out to rural areas to generate skills lacking in the industry and, thereby, create jobs.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

Comments

Showroom

SAIMC (Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Control)
SAIMC (Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Control)

Education: Consulting with member companies to obtain the optimal benefits from their B-BBEE spending, skills resources as well as B-BBEE points

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Universal Storage Systems (SA)
Universal Storage Systems (SA)

South African leader in Steel -Racking, -Shelving, and -Mezzanine flooring. Universal has innovated an approach which encompasses conceptualising,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.109 0.169s - 152pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now