Chinese company, NUST sign solar deal

THE National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Chinese company, Satewave Technologies, for the establishment of a solar photovoltaic farm project at the institution.

The parties signed the agreement last yesterday to address NUST's energy challenges in line with the national vision of providing efficient alternative forms of energy.

NUST spokesperson Lindiwe Nyoni said the joint venture project was expected to meet the energy requirements of the university and other surrounding institutions.

"The main area of collaboration is to implement a joint venture project involving a development of a five—megawatts photovoltaic solar farm which shall include engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning," Nyoni said.

She said the signing of the MoA had set the pace for all processes necessary to kickstart the project.

"The MoA has kick-started the mobilising of all necessary resources needed for the solar farm, otherwise we have the ground for the project readily available at the institution," Nyoni said.

Nyoni said the project's objectives include the installation of solar bins, solar bus shelters, solar bus shelters, solar water heating, solar water pumping, block chain technology and other emerging technologies.

NUST vice-chancellor, Mqhele Dlodlo said: "This solar project will seek to cover the energy needs of NUST, as it will supply a 0,25 megawatt, with the excess being sold to the grid. It is my hope to see NUST Technopark and Satewave being a power supplier registered with our energy regulators and hopefully grow to be one of the Africa's solar energy suppliers."

Satewave Technologies is an integrated Zimbabwean-based Chinese construction technology services company operating in the telecommunications, electrical, civil construction sectors.