adminHARARE – Maranatha Christian University (MCU), located in Kadoma, Midlands province, plans to establish a solar academy with teaching and manufacturing capacity, a move that will minimize dependence on imported solar material, an official has said.
Speaking during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with German University SRH Hochschule Berlin in the capital on Wednesday, Maranatha founder Dr Samuel Mudavanhu said the academy would be the first of its kind in the country.
MCU is part of the Maranatha group of schools which has two primary and one high schools.
The university is set to be officially opened in August this year.
Dr. Mudavanhu said establishment of the solar academy would support government solar projects aimed at meeting energy needs of the country.
“The country has spent a lot of money in the energy sector, paying for the importation of electricity and funding solar projects,” he said.
“To this end, the establishment of the first solar academy with teaching, learning as well as product manufacturing capacity in the country will boost the local production of solar panels and other solar materials and help the country minimize reliance on imported solar materials from abroad.”
Chairperson of the MCU board Dr. Stephen Mahere said signing of the MOU was going to complement the government drive to promote alternative sources of energy.
“As such the afore-cited program will fully improve energy generation mix with a bias towards renewable energy,” he said. – New Ziana
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