March 2009 Archives

In a bush clearing, just off the main road from Lusaka to Chirundu, in the Mafue Hills of Zambia, the steel frame and roof of a large half-finished building stands proudly amongst the trees. What currently looks like a large barn will, in the coming months, become Zambia's first centre devoted to the practical education and training of renewable energy technology.

The 'Pumulani' Renewable Energy Centre ('Pumulani' means 'rest well') is the idea of Gerde and Laureijs Smulders, co-founders and directors of Suntech Appropriate Technology Ltd, a renewable energy company established in Zambia since 1993.

Gerde (left) and Lawrence Smulders of Suntech, stand beneath the steel frame and roof that will be the 'Pumulani Renewable Energy Training Centre'. Photo: Andy Bodycombe

Over the past year, Suntech have been working with SolarAid in Zambia on the design and installation of solar installations on schools, community centres and clinics as part of SolarAid's Global Cool funded macrosolar programme.

Suntech's experience of working in Zambia is extremely valuable to SolarAid and highlights one of the key challenges we face that all too often, solar power systems installed in developing countries by donor organisations can be perceived as unreliable. According to Gerde 'every solar system which doesn't work is bad for us even if it wasn't from us. We just want to save costs for the people'.

Suntech hope to address these problems by tackling them head on and, at the same time, addressing some of the root causes.

More about this in our next blog

SolarAid Zambia's Manager, Trevor, will shortly be going on a trip to the Eastern Province to observe the macro-solar installation process. He will do this in partnership with the People's Action Forum (PAF), the organisation that runs community centres- or CABLACs- in Zambia. During the trip, members of PAF will also receive training in macro-solar installation.

Two locations for macro installations have recently been identified as Chipata- near the Malawian border- and Infuro. The new sites within these areas will include schools, community and training centres. Things should start moving quickly now, with a proposed seven installations scheduled for completion by the end of May!

Rural Zambia

In micro-solar, the team is waiting for a large import order of 2000 products to arrive. Once these are on the ground, production and training will start in Shesheke- a very poor and remote area in the South West of Zambia.

WIth your help, SolarAid can work effectively towards faster reduction of carbon emissions, improved health for the most disadvantaged people of Zambia and increased literacy rates through access to clean and affordable lighting. Please help us with whatever donation you can.

Thank you.

More news from Zambia soon.