The NEED project: Enhancing the widespread use of renewable energy resources in the Southern African region

The `Network of Excellence in Renewable Energy Technologies for Development' also known as "Network of Energy Excellence for Development" (NEED), comprises a consortium of five partner institutions from Botswana, Germany, Namibia and Zambia undertaking collaborative research aimed at kick-starting and institutionalizing the widespread exploitation of renewable energy resources in the Southern African region. Starting with three countries, namely Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia, the network is expected to gradually expand to cover the SADC region. The paper highlights the activity areas and concerns of the NEED project: establishing the dominant renewable energy technologies (RET); capacity building; harmonizing industry standards; institutionalizing policies and research strategies; and developing RET concepts for the dry and wet regions of Namibia and Botswana, respectively.