The Director-General of Science and Technology, Dr Phil Mjwara, will open a symposium on solar energy in Cape Town on Tuesday, 13 October.

The three-day SolarPACES conference brings together world experts in concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. Managed by the International Energy Agency, SolarPACES aims to facilitate the contribution of CSP technologies to the delivery of clean, renewable energy.

CSP technology focuses solar radiation through mirror systems to achieve temperatures as high as 1 000°C. This heat can be used to generate electricity or to drive chemical processes.

South Africa is considered a leading hot-spot in the field of CSP, with its abundant natural sunlight and the progress that has been made in the development of a number of large CSP plants.

As part of its renewable energy work, the Department of Science and Technology is involved in developing the SA Solar Energy Technology Road Map, which includes CSP, and has commissioned a feasibility study on high temperature solar applications.

Among other things, the conference will analyse the progress being achieved in reducing the cost and improving the performance of CSP and solar chemistry technologies, which should play an important role in the reduction of carbon emissions.