Introduction and purpose of the SWH Summit 2007

The increased uptake of solar water heating presents a huge opportunity for supplying hot water for the social and economic development of South Africa.  In addition, it offers the real and lasting benefits employment creation, demand side management, reduction in CO2 emissions, and a reduction in the loading on the electricity network in the country.  With rapidly increasing demands on Southern Africa’s local infrastructure to further extend the current electricity network through Africa, government (at local, provincial and national level) has a challenging task of utilising our resources as best as possible to ensure continued and sustainable growth for Africa’s future.

In response to the opportunity, REEEP-SA is organizing a Summit on Solar Water Heating with funding from the Central Energy Fund (CEF).  The CEF support for the SWH Summit forms part of the UNDP/GEF Solar 500 Project which is implemented by the CEF subsidiary, Energy Development Corporation (EDC).

The core outcomes of the SWH Summit are intended to include:

1. to provide a platform to highlight the opportunity for SWH to provide hot water in South Africa;

2. to stimulate discussion in the public sector, especially among municipal managers, regarding the uptake of solar water heaters nationally and regionally;

3. to present regional and international research relating to the uptake of solar water heaters; and

4. to showcase the different solar water heating technologies and applications to all stakeholders.

The SWH Summit included a small exhibition of SWH products and services.