EnergyDrive truck arrives in N Cape
A FIRST of its kind in Africa, the custom-built “EnergyDrive” truck has arrived in the Northern Cape on the last leg of its three-week national educational road show, an initiative that aims to raise awareness about renewable power resources and climate change.
Featuring a solar roof structure, biogas digester, photovoltaic panel display unit as well as a solar hot water display unit, the EnergyDrive truck teaches pupils about the benefits and uses of renewable energy technologies,
By the time it wraps up its visit in the Northern Cape and circles back to KwaZulu-Natal at the end of the month, it would have engaged with over 2 500 high school pupils across the country.
Two participating solar farms, De Aar Solar Power and Droogfontein Solar Power, have funded a portion of the roadshow as well as hosting field trips for participating pupils from Monwabisi Senior Public School in De Aar and Kimberley Boys’ High School.
“The mobility of this custom-built vehicle makes it ideal to reach outlying high schools across the country. These communities are often located in areas that are not easily accessible and pupils do not easily have access to information about these technologies,” Brenda Martin, CEO of the South African Wind Energy Association, explained.
“The container features attractive interactive demonstration models which assist with understanding a range of renewable technologies,” she added.
The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) partnered with the Durban University of Technology and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to make this national educational road trip with the EnergyDrive possible.
The mobile unit departed from Durban on November 3, making its way through the Eastern and Western Cape before arriving in the Northern Cape this week.
“This year’s EnergyDrive road trip successfully reached out to rural pupils to get them involved in the potential for renewable power technologies in a rapidly changing world,” Martin concluded.