MINISTER OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION VISITS CREEC.

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, on 4th April 2017 paid his first courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu. His visit aimed at establishing the status of various projects under the Presidential Initiative on Science and Technology, with a view of determining the resources required to implement commercialization of the ongoing projects.

Patrick Masendi a technician at CREEC explains to the minister the concept of the solar dryer.

Through CEDAT, the Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC) has received funds from the Presidential Initiative Support for Science and Technology to undertake activities under its Solar Photo Voltaic section since July 2010 to date. The campaign specifically targets households that use kerosene candles and lamps as a source of light. Solar lamps are an alternative to kerosene lamps and they present an opportunity for people to save money by using a technology that requires low operational costs. Additionally, solar lamps give off a light that is brighter and healthier than the kerosene lamps.

  Agnes Naluwagga taking the minister through the different stove testing protocols

The support that CREEC has received from the Presidential Initiative has boosted research and innovations, which have consequently improved the center’s activities under solar PV. With this background, CREEC has designed different programs to guide the dissemination of information and capacity building on solar PV under the Solar lamps for health and wealth campaign’ which includes establishing a state of the art solar PV laboratory that tests solar products for efficiency,  instituting solar school clubs in 8 schools around the country, installing four solar kiosks, conducting solar promotions (workshops, radio talk shows, newspaper articles)  and solar PV trainings for technicians over 278technicians have been trained.

The minister toured the solar PV laboratory and also had the opportunity to see some innovations currently being pursued by CREEC like solar cookers and solar dryers. He also visited the CREEC Regional Testing and Knowledge Centre where he commended the centre for their contributions towards quality control.