By CEO Erwin Spolders
At REDAVIA, we focus on education as an essential component of our success story. REDAVIA brings not only the technology and financing, but also the know-how that Africa needs to transform its energy system. Education is critical, because the energy transition in Africa requires local leaders to navigate the market, deploy solar energy solutions and operate them. That’s why we welcome the opportunity to integrate academic opportunities into our solar projects. At our recent solar farm at Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Ghana, we are working in collaboration with the university to set up a Renewable Energy Institute, which will introduce a new educational track around renewable energy.
“We picked Redavia not just because of the attractive cost savings they offer us, but also because of their commitment to invest in a new renewable energy lab at RMU,” says Prof. Elvis K. Nyarko, Vice Chancellor of RMU.
The lab will teach Ghanaian female and male engineering students how to play an important part in building a clean, reliable and cost-effective energy supply system required to continue Ghana’s impressive economic development. REDAVIA will therefore also equip the solar farm with additional safety, data-capture and information features.
Another way we integrate education into our solar projects is through the REDAVIA Academy, a premier upskilling and training facility for local partners, community members and entrepreneurs in Tanzania. The Academy aims to empower local people with the skills and competences needed for sales, installation, and maintenance of solar farms.
We engage with the education sector outside of our solar farms as well. In early October, we hosted Solar Summer Team-Up students from the SRH University Berlin, Germany. A training and learning program centered on solar energy and aimed at current students and business people, the Solar Summer Team-Up discusses potential and future projects and provides insight into local PV companies.
We’ve also recently teamed up with the Technische Universität München (TUM), where the Renewable & Sustainable Energy Systems faculty focuses on the food-energy-water nexus. This nexus was the topic of the panel I joined in mid October. In November, I gave a guest lecture focusing specifically on renewable energy in developing countries.
Additionally, we work with students of various Munich universities right at our office. Working students have completed their theses with us, and short term students have done working projects with our team. These students learn about the solar industry while also gaining a sneak peek into working life.
However, the knowledge transfer doesn’t just flow one way. Florence Tesha, Tanzania Community Business Development Manager at REDAVIA, has conducted Swahili lessons for the employees at our Munich office, helping the German office to also learn from our African colleagues and partners.
Why do we invest so much into education? Because bringing technology and funding is useless without local skill in any country, but it is specifically important for the African countries in which we work. Education is the key to upskilling African technical talent, solving Africa’s acute energy challenges and raising standards of living. Or as a famous Swahili saying goes: “Akili ni mali.” Wisdom is Wealth.