SOLTRAIN+ Bursary Call

SOLTRAIN+ will support twenty master’s or PhD theses dedicated to the topic of solar thermal energy in the SOLTRAIN+ partner countries Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The call will be open until 25th of April, 2024.

The student support scheme provides financial support for students up to 2,100 Euro in order to encourage students to work in the field of solar thermal, to build up capacity and to promote the opportunities that solar thermal energy offer with regard to various applications and sectors, with the overall aim to reduce the use of fossil fuels for a sustainable future.

A special invitation is given to women to apply for the bursaries, as 50% of the bursaries awarded should be women.

To submit an application for research project funding, you need to first create an account at https://soltrain.org/users/create-account/student/. You will then be able to begin the application process.

Eligible topics for the first SOLTRAIN+ bursary call are:

1. Potential analysis for solar thermal systems in the health sector, at educational or social institutions and in the tourism sector
2. Analysis of measurement data from selected systems from SOLTRAIN demonstration systems
3. Renewable Heating and Cooling (solar thermal, solar thermal and heat pump, energy efficiency and heat recovery) in industry and commerce, buildings, health and tourism sector (including country specific opportunities and challenges)
4. The use of solar thermal technologies for heating/drying/cooling in industrial applications
5. Documentation and analysis of mass housing programmes with mandatory installation of solar water heaters
6. Cost-effectiveness and socio-economic impact of renewable heating and cooling in off-grid communities (e.g. in the Four-O Region in Namibia)
7. Women in the Renewable Heating and Cooling Sector (opportunities, barriers, policies)
8. Gender and Diversity in solar thermal – expanding beyond women in diversifying work force

Please see following the comprehensive list of topics awarded in previous SOLTRAIN phases to avoid duplications:

1. Comparative study of solar water heater and electrical geysers in terms of performance and financial benefits
2. Design and performance monitoring of an innovative residential prototype solar air source heat pump water heater
3. Design of a hybrid vapor absorption milk chiller (solar and biogas) for small scale dairy farms in Zimbabwe
4. Exploring solar thermal integration opportunities for the tourism and hospitality sector in Zimbabwe
5. SOLTRAIN research study for solar thermal system expansion and stagnation management
6. Design and fabrication of a small-scale solar maize dryer with automated dryer control in Zimbabwe
7. Adsorption refrigeration system design through modeling adiabatic cooling effects
8. Potential analysis for solar thermal systems in the health sector (Lesotho)
9. Solar Thermal Energy for Breweries (Lesotho)
10. Numerical and experimental investigation of the thermal performance of a solar absorber and nocturnal radiator (SAANR) hybrid panel for climatic conditions of Gaborone, Botswana.
11. Potential analysis for solar thermal systems in the Namibian health sector
12. Domestic hot water technology transition to solar thermal systems: Barriers and opportunities in Maputo City, Mozambique
13. Techno-economic assessment of a solar thermal industrial-scale system using compound parabolic collectors
14. Development of a pilot-scale solar thermal dryer for the treatment of faecal sludge from on-site sanitation facilities
15. Potential analysis of Solar Thermal technologies for heating for industrial applications in Windhoek, Namibia
16. Design of an energy efficient solar cooling system
17. Modelling and performance optimisation of a solar food dryer with thermal energy storage
18. Analysis of hot water heating systems demand for Government Central Hospitals in Zimbabwe: Case Study Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital
19. An assessment of demand for industrial process heat and potential for solar thermal systems in Zimbabwe
20. Comparison of hybrid photovoltaic thermal solar system and thermosiphon solar thermal hot water system under Windhoek, Namibian conditions
21. Potential analysis for solar thermal systems in the health sector (Botswana)
22. Performance enhancement of parabolic dish solar cookers using thermal energy storage
23. Documentation of solar thermal systems in Namibia's health sector and the development of a draft long-term maintenance strategy for installed systems
24. Performance analysis of a travelling-wave thermo-acoustic refrigerator coupled to an hybrid solar powered heating/ cooling system
25. Designing a financial mechanism for promoting use and uptake of solar water heating systems in Maseru
26. Performance evaluation of a solar food dryer with thermal energy storage.
27. Potential analysis of solar thermal applications for Harare city council health facilities