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#WomensMonth: Costs and climate change response enhance growth in RE space

20 Aug 2020

With the decreasing costs of the renewable energy technologies, the industry is growing at an rapid rate and these technologies are of late considered the least-cost option in the power sector. Other aspects like urgent response to climate change impacts and use of artificial intelligence in the energy space have also enhanced this growth, says Topollo Mohlotsane, a solar design engineer at IM-Power, of the trends in the sector.

Topollo Mohlotsane

She says keeping up with the latest developments is also a challenge. "There are technology developments almost every three days or so, for instance; what was an ideal solution yesterday might not hold today; so we are constantly learning.

"Apart from it being an extremely exciting field, it is my passion. I am a renewable energy enthusiast, so being in the solar industry is a perfect fit," she says.

Her typical work day normally runs from 7am to 4pm, and is filled with solar PV system designs, data and tariff analysis, not forgetting the lunchtime walks.

Born and bred in Lesotho, the 26-year-old, holds a BSc biology & chemistry degree and a PGDip in renewable energy. Mohlotsane is currently busy with her MEng degree in smart grid technology at the University Of Stellenbosch. Her master’s thesis focuses mainly on the energy consumption modelling and analysis of office buildings.

Her other passion is gender equality and education access to all disadvantaged children across Africa. She recently joined KBH Consultancy, which is a student association assisting African students with career development and scholarship opportunities available at their disposal.

Mohlotsane is very close to her family. " I lost my father when I was two months old and grew up with my mom, brother and my aunt; they are my everything. I have two nephews who think I`m their age, but I love them still."

About Nicci Botha

Nicci Botha has been wordsmithing for more than 20 years, covering just about every subject under the sun and then some. She's strung together words on sustainable development, maritime matters, mining, marketing, medical, lifestyle... and that elixir of life - chocolate. Nicci has worked for local and international media houses including Primedia, Caxton, Lloyd's and Reuters. Her new passion is digital media.