The Namibia Energy Institute (NEI), under its flagship project: Southern African Solar Thermal Training and Demonstration Initiative (SOTRAIN+), in partnership with AEE INTEC and the International Energy Agency’s Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC) Task 69: “Solar Hot Water for 2030,” hosted the SOLTRAIN+ & IEA SHC Task 69 Joint Symposium, which took place from 23 to 26 September 2025 at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).
The four-day hybrid event brought together international experts, policymakers, researchers, and renewable energy practitioners to deliberate on the advancement of solar thermal technologies, standards, certification, and aspects of gender mainstreaming in the solar thermal industry.
The symposium was officially opened by Prof Colin Stanley, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Partnerships at NUST. Prof Stanley reaffirmed the University’s commitment to renewable energy research and innovation, noting its role as a regional hub for research and capacity building. He further noted that the establishment of the solar thermal comparative study facility at the NEI as a tangible example of NUST’s dedication to practical technology demonstration and applied research.
In her remarks, the Austrian Ambassador to Southern Africa, Hon. Romana Königsbrun, elaborated on the United Nation (UN)’s goal that everyone across the globe should have access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030. She emphasised Austria’s pride in supporting renewable energy initiatives in the SADC region that contribute to the energy transition.
Ms. Birgit Weyss from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) highlighted that one of the major achievements of the SOLTRAIN+ initiative is the building of trust in renewable heating and cooling technologies—particularly solar thermal—through the installation of high-quality systems, awareness- raising efforts, and the provision of training to ensure and maintain these high standards.
Both the Ambassador and Ms. Weyss expressed their gratitude to the NEI for hosting the Joint Symposium and acknowledged its efforts to include women and youth in the development of sustainable energy pathways.
The Director of Energy at the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy (MIME), Mr. John Titus, who delivered keynote remarks on behalf of Hon. Gaudentia Kröhne, Deputy Minister of MIME, reaffirmed Namibia’s dedication to universal access to clean energy, citing the 2007 Cabinet Directive on Solar Water Heating and the National Solar Thermal Technology Roadmap (NSTTR).
Hon. Kröhne commended SOLTRAIN+ and IEA SHC Task 69 for their steadfastness in strengthening regional capacity, standards, and innovation in the solar thermal sector.
KEEN INTEREST: An Engaged Audience at the Joint Symposium at NUST Hotel School
The symposium featured four days of rich engagement and technical exchange. The official programme began with expert presentations on standards and certification of solar thermal technologies, with contributions from specialists across Latin America, the SADC region, Australia, and China. This was complemented by a guided technical tour of the Solar Thermal Comparative Study Facility at the NEI.
The second day of the Symposium focused on gender mainstreaming in the renewable heating and cooling industry, where Ms. Edith Makandi, Gender Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion Specialist at Pearl Development Consulting, together with SOLTRAIN+ gender managers from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, South Africa, and Botswana, shared case insights linking gender equality, women’s empowerment, and renewable energy. “CIGRE for Women in Energy” also presented opportunities for women to register and access support through its global network of professionals in energy. (a dedicated article on gender mainstreaming in renewable heating and cooling is featured on the next page)
Project-specific sessions followed, which included break-out discussions for the IEA SHC Task 69 on Solar Heat for 2030 and the SOLTRAIN+ project Steering Committee, on the third day of the symposium.
The symposium concluded with technical tours to the SOLTRAIN+ demonstration sites around Windhoek City, showcasing solar water heating system installations at low-cost houses in the Otjomuise suburb, Katutura Intermediate Hospital’s maternity ward, and the residential establishment in Osona Village outside of Windhoek. These visits highlighted practical applications of solar thermal systems transforming communities.
REAL-WORLD TECHNOLOGY TESTING: The Symposium Delegates Pictured at the NEI’s Solar Thermal Comparative Study Facility
The symposium underscored the global relevance of solar thermal technologies and was praised for fostering dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and partnerships to accelerate renewable heating and cooling solutions—a critical component of the arsenal of solutions required to drive the low-carbon energy transition agenda.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Andreas Elombo, Director of NEI, thanked all participants and partners for their invaluable contributions. He emphasised the importance of continued regional and international collaboration and encouraged delegates to transform symposium outcomes into concrete actions that will advance solar thermal technologies and support Southern Africa’s transition to sustainable, inclusive energy systems.
TECHNICAL TOUR: The Delegates were taken on a guided tour of the Osona Village, near Okahandja, where some houses are part of the SOLTRAIN solar thermal demonstration project.
