The 9th SOLTRAIN+ Conference will take place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from 23–27 February 2026, at the Elephant Hills Hotel as part of the 2nd SADC Sustainable Energy Week. The event will be hosted by the National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
Registration is available via the official SADC Energy Week website: https://sadcenergyweek.org/
The Southern African Renewable Heating & Cooling Training & Demonstration Initiative (SOLTRAIN+) conference will showcase locally installed demonstration projects and highlight solar thermal solutions across heating, cooling, and industrial applications. The event will also introduce the expansion of SOLTRAIN+ to 4 new countries and offer participants opportunities to engage with regional and international experts working toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
The 9th SOLTRAIN conference will explore how to move from demonstration to scale in renewable heating and cooling across the SADC region, strengthening competitiveness and community resilience. Some highlights of the SOLTRAIN activities during the conference week:
- During a conference day, participants will examine successful technical solutions and educational activities, as well as lessons learned and how these insights can be used to scale and expand SOLTRAIN’s activities in support of the clean energy transition. Learn more on the regional and national activities and our plans of moving forward.
- Join us also for a technical paper session on 'thermal energy efficiency'.
- A technical tour will showcase a range of clean energy solutions, including a solar thermal system at a hotel in Victoria Falls.
- We are also delighted to join forces with the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET) for a special event on youth, gender, and entrepreneurship. Do our activities generate real impact for women? Join the event to learn more about opportunities to engage and contribute.
The conference will be held under the umbrella of the 2026 SADC Sustainable Energy Week, featuring high-level technical and policy presentations, seminars, B2B meetings, panel discussions, networking sessions, and regional and international exhibitions.
Previous SOLTRAIN Conferences:
2022 – Stellenbosch University, South Africa (6th)
2023 – SACREEE, Namibia (7th)
2025 – Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC), University of Botswana, Botswana (8th)
Delegates from all SADC countries and beyond are expected to attend. Join us as we reflect on the final year of SOLTRAIN+ and look beyond 2026 to help drive the clean energy transition.
For registration, please visit: https://sadcenergyweek.org/
