The third phase of Soltrain

The focus of the third phase of Soltrain project is the installation of water heating systems from solar panels, which is intended to foster a widespread use of renewable energy resources.

The solar heating systems’ goal was launched in Maputo, in a seminar to present and discuss the country’s solar thermal roadmap, which aims to install this technology in hospitals and hotels to supply the energy deficit.

This phase of the project, which runs from April 2016 to December 2019, will be coordinated by the National Company of Science and Technology Parks of Mozambique (ENPCT), in partnership with Electricidade de Mozambique (EDM), National Energy Fund (FUNAE) and the Faculty of Engineering of the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM).

According to Geraldo Nhumaio, the program coordinator, after establishing the technology in the city and province of Maputo, the idea is to extend it to other regions in order to reduce the use of wood fuel, gas and electricity.

Nhumaio justified the choice of hospitals at this stage, among other reasons, due to the financial difficulties which the health sector faces for the purchase of energy.

Geraldo Nhumaio also informed that UEM has two mobile solar thermal technology units, composed of two tanks with a capacity of three hundred liters of water each and three panels that allows to use energy radiated by the sun to heat the water.

The two units were acquired under the Soltrain Regional Project, funded by the Austrian Government through Austrian Development Cooperation. This project’s goal is to establish strategies for exploiting solar energy in some SADC countries, such as Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

Geraldo Nhumaio argues that it is crucial to engage the Technical and Vocational Education in the training process of solar thermal energy and therefore UEM has undertaken frequent courses for students, as well as demonstrations in science, technology and innovation fairs, among other activities.

Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa are the only three countries which have developed roadmaps to be met by 2030, with Mozambique planning to install one million solar heaters in residential areas by 2030.

Check out the Mozambique's Solar Thermal Roadmap here.

For more detailed information on these and other activities for the promotion of renewable energy in Mozambique check ALER's national status report.