Cape Town - An education project is gearing up to educate youngsters on the country’s transition to renewable energy and climate change as educating school learners about clean sources of energy becomes increasingly important during this period in which South Africa ramps up its transition to renewable energy.
The South African Wind Energy Association (Sawea) in partnership with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) would be kicking off the EnergyDRIVE by taking a special mobile truck equipped with a solar roof structure, biogas digester, photovoltaic panel display unit as well as a solar hot water display unit to schools, wind farms and solar farms across the country.
Sawea CEO Niveshen Govender said it would traverse the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces from October 17 until November 4, and although it was being promoted by the wind energy association, the initiative stretched across a variety of renewable technologies.
Thus, other technology partners and stakeholders with a national footprint were also able to get involved and increase awareness to create a generation of well-informed decision-makers.
“High school learners are at the stage where they’ll be making study and career choices. They are also leaders and decision-makers of tomorrow, hence the programme promotes renewable energy and climate change awareness. It effectively demonstrates and imparts knowledge to learners across communities about the benefits and uses of clean energy technologies,” Govender said.
As the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) supported the drive last year, Sanedi Logistics and Events co-ordinator Bongani Xakaza said it was crucial to plant these seeds of knowledge among learners, especially with the current challenges faced by the country in terms of energy supply and demand.
Xakaza said this was so that they could begin to think of alternatives that would not only satisfy the energy demand, but also protect the environment.
WindAc Africa, a South African academic exchange platform, said the EnergyDRIVE promoted renewables as alternative sources of energy to fossil fuels while advocating for the green economy and sustainable energy solutions by improving the understanding of climate change related issues and different renewable energy resources.
