Speaker
Dr
Mbela Kalengay
(UNAM)
Description
The sun is the principal source of energy for all living things, without its presence all life on earth would come to an end. Solar energy is radiant energy from the sun caused by nuclear fusion in the sun’s core. For many years solar energy has been looked at as a fundamental source of energy due to vast amounts of energy that are made freely available. Solar energy is harnessed, stored and converted into heat, light and electrical energy for various applications such as cooking, refrigeration and lighting.
Access to modern energy services is a requirement for sustainable development, to equip the nation to accomplish their daily tasks, to excel in business opportunities and economic growth, so as to uplift the whole community particularly the population in the rural areas. Although Namibia has made significant progress in electrification, rural electrification is still limited due to a lack of knowledge and skills on how to harness the freely available solar energy. Financial constraints are also a contributing factor to acquiring modern technology. The possible solutions to solar energy concerns are widely debated at different plat forms by stakeholders, politicians and the public at large. Therefore this study focused on raising awareness and sensitise the communities especially the rural and informal settlements in urban areas on how to make use of the freely available solar energy. The study involved 20 informants: 10 from each region. For data collection, semi – structured interviews, document analysis and focus group discussions were used for cross fertilisation of ideas. The results of the study will benefit the communities in both rural areas and informal settlements in urban areas in Namibia.
Level for award<br> (Hons, MSc, <br> PhD, N/A)?
n/a
Apply to be<br> considered for a student <br> award (Yes / No)?
No
Primary author
Dr
Mbela Kalengay
(UNAM)
Co-authors
Ms
C. Nyarate Utete
(UNAM)
Mr
Tony Nsio
(UNAM)
