Local renewable energy pioneer honoured internationally

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18 April 2012 News

South African renewable energy pioneer, Professor Dieter Holm, has been named as an honorary board member of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) in recognition of his efforts to profile the country’s needs and causes within the global energy community. He is the first South African to be honoured in this way.

Professor Holm has been actively engaged with the organisation since 1974; many of these years were as representative of the Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA). He handed over the reins early this year to another SESSA member, mechanical and mechatronic engineering specialist, Professor Wikus van Niekerk of Stellenbosch University.

Congratulating Professor Holm on his honorary seat, SESSA’s acting CEO, Theo Covary, said it was well deserved given Professor Holm’s numerous achievements over the years and endless enthusiasm for the solar energy cause.

The professor’s interest in sustainable energy was kick started by the first energy crises in the 1970s; he and his family built their energy and water self-sufficient home in 1974. In later years, he drew inspiration from a prominent German solar energy and renewable energy advocate, the late Dr Hermann Scheer, who received many awards, such as the Alternative Nobel Prize and, in 2004, the World Wind Energy Award for his work in the field.

While on the ISES board, Professor Holm’s achievements included:

* Winning the international bid for the ISES Solar World Congress 2009 for South Africa.

* Authoring the ISES White Paper ‘Renewable energy future for the developing world’ which was translated into many languages.

* Serving as ISES secretary.

* Setting up a Strategic Balanced Score Card Framework for ISES.

* Earning an ISES award.

However, Holm ranks winning the ADA-sponsored SOLTRAIN contract for SESSA as his greatest personal achievement, as renewable energy training and education are very close to his heart. In fact, his plans for the future centre on creating more awareness about renewable and sustainable energies in southern Africa to enhance the inevitable, rapid and orderly transition to these energy sources.

For more information contact SESSA, +27 (0)11 513 4071, [email protected], www.sessa.org.za

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Local renewable energy pioneer honoured internationally

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