SANEDI is the South African implementation partner for SOLTRAIN (Southern African Solar Thermal Training & Demonstration Initiative). This a regional initiative (6 SADC countries involved) on capacity building & demonstration of solar thermal systems in the SADC region.

image: SANDF members from RWU Limpopo and AFB Hoedspruit who participated in the SOLTRAIN Thermosiphon training course at project initiation. (Supported by Col Bennedict Manzini from RWU Limpopo; Delivered by Dr Karen Surridge and Ms Khotahtso Mpheqeke from SANEDI and Mr Angelo Buckley from University of Stellenbosch)

SANEDI is the South African implementation partner for SOLTRAIN (Southern African Solar Thermal Training & Demonstration Initiative). This a regional initiative (6 SADC countries involved) on capacity building & demonstration of solar thermal systems in the SADC region. It is funded by the Austrian Development Agency & co-funded by the Opec Fund for International Development.

One of the goals of the SOLTRAIN programme, which is congruent with that of SANEDI, is the stimulation of technology uptake and market development of solar thermal technologies for South Africa. To date the project has implemented a number of training events and collaborations.

SOLTRAIN and Air Force Base Hoedspruit collaborated in the implementation of the Solar Water Heating (SWH) system. The grand opening took place on 26 July 2019 at an auspicious event attended by Maj Gen Tersia Jacobs, Maj Gen Joseph Ledwaba, Col Bennedict Manzini and Dr Karen Surridge.

The aim of this collaboration and the main function of installing a state of art Solar Water Heating (SWH) system was to reduce electricity use and provide reliable hot water, at SAAF GYM. According to SANEDI’s Dr Surridge, who is the Centre Manager for the Renewable Energy Centre of Research and Development (RECORD), “the SOLTRAIN project aims to tackle heating needs at domestic and commercial level and create opportunities through catalysing growth of the SWH sector across six partner countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). We are pursuing policies that enhance security supply, energy conservation and the increase of energy access.”

The Skills

Linked to this project were multiple training sessions that were designed to introduce energy to SANDF and up-skill SANDF artisans towards being able to maintain their own SHW systems in-house. These have been successful to date and the installer on sight also trained 4 artisans intensively on the specific system installed. To date cost and energy savings have already been shown on the system after just one year of operation delivering a 96% solar fraction (amount of energy the system is using from the sun), 97 821kWh of electricity saved and R 176 077.84 electricity cost saving (calculated at R1.80/kWh).

Image: Ribbon cutting ceremony at the plant room of the South Building of the installation. Left to right: Dr Karen Surridge (SANEDI), Col Bennedict Manzini (RWU Limpopo), Maj Gen Joseph Ledwaba (DWF), Col van Wyk (SAAF) and Maj Gen Tersia Jacobs (C Log).

SANEDI also hosted 2 specialised courses in solar water heating pumped systems “Training Course for Experts & Professionals” (Train the Trainer Course – Part 1) at the end of September 2019, in Pretoria, as well as a Decision Makers Seminar for Solar Thermal Technology Implementation, in Hoedspruit on 12 November 2019. The “Training Course for Experts & Professionals” is an examined course that provides a SOLTRAIN certificate to those that pass the final exam, which covers the production of solar heat for large scale pumped system design and operation. Two of these courses were hosted over 5 days with a field trip overlap day on day 3 to Wits Junction district heating system in Johannesburg. The first course was focused in a very academic manner and presented to individuals from the solar thermal industry, the second course was exclusively for military artisans and had a more application based approach to the same theory.

Image below: Group pictures from SANEDI-SOLTRAIN hosted specialised

courses in solar water heating pumped systems “Training Course for Experts & Professionals” (Train the Trainer Course – Part 1)

The Decision Makers Seminar introduced the concept of using solar energy in heating and cooling systems at a basic technology level and then showcase investment potential. This seminar addressed such questions as, if you were to purchase one of these systems… How much would it cost? What are the benefits of such a system? What would your return on investment be? How would you select the right system size and what kind of service would it provide you with? Two sessions covered Solar Water Heating (SWH) Technologies and what they can deliver and Economic Aspects and considerations for SWH in SA.

Image: Group Picture from SANEDI-SOLTRAIN Solar Thermal Decision Makers Seminar, Hoedspruit.