THE custom-built EnergyDRIVE truck has completed its three-week educational road trip around the country, with Noupoort being the last stop.
Having interacted with thousands of learners located in beneficiary communities surrounding wind farms, the interactive vehicle aims to raise awareness of renewable power resources and climate change.
The last leg of the EnergyDRIVE’s 3 000km road trip was funded by Noupoort Wind Farm.
The truck visited Noupoort Gekombineerde Skool and Enoch Mthetho Secondary School.
After the visits, 40 learners from the two high schools had the opportunity to visit Noupoort Wind Farm, where they were able to deepen their understanding of renewable power and its benefits.
Other wind farms funding part of the Northern Cape road trip visits were Loeriesfontein and Khobab Wind Farm.
Featuring a solar roof structure, biogas digester, photovoltaic panel display unit as well as a solar hot water display unit, the EnergyDRIVE teaches learners about the benefits and uses of renewable energy technologies.
By the time it circled back to Kwa-Zulu-Natal at the weekend, it had engaged with thousands of learners and over 40 schools across the country.
“The EnergyDRIVE vehicle is ideal for reaching outlying areas such as this, where communities are not easily accessible and learners do not easily have access to information about these technologies,” explained Livhuwani Nwachukwu, Economic Development Manager for Noupoort Wind Farm.
“The truck features interactive demonstration models which make it easy for learners to understand a range of renewable technologies,” she added.
The EnergyDRIVE project is a partnership between SA Wind Energy Association (SAWEA), the Durban University of Technology and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), all of whom have worked together to make this national educational road trip possible.
The mobile unit departed from Durban on July 30, making its way through the Eastern and Western Cape before arriving in the Northern Cape on August 16 and arrived back in KwaZulu-Natal on August 19, having spent time in host renewable energy communities along the way.