Local student wins top international Green Talents award

Westenburg resident, Pheladi Tlhatlha is one of only 25 up-and-coming young researchers from across the globe who were recognised and awarded for their innovative ideas on sustainable development during the recent ‘Green Talents – International Forum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development’ awards ceremony in Germany recently.
The researchers were honoured by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research for their innovative green ideas from various fields of research and for promoting international exchange. Tlhatlha indicated that this year a jury of experts selected 25 aspiring researchers from among 736 applicants from more than 100 countries. She said it was an honour to be among those who were awarded and reiterated that she had conducted her MSc in Environmental Management at the University of Pretoria where her research focused on ‘renewable energy strategies for energy poverty alleviation’.

Tlhatlha is focusing on understanding the perception of energy in disadvantaged communities and also the reduction of energy poverty. She believes clean energy should be accessible to and affordable for impoverished communities. She stated that access to energy is challenging and limited for low income households that is why she is exploring renewable energy technologies and implementable strategies to overcome these barriers of available energy options.
Her approach is to take economic, social and environmental factors into consideration, such as the unemployment rate and power outages in the country. An investigation of the energy sector and the adoption of renewable energy technologies can lead to a positive impact on human well-being, poverty reduction and economic growth, she reckoned.
“It was a privilege to receive the award and I met wonderful researchers during my stay in Germany. The competition creates collaboration among researchers from all walks of life. I am going back to Germany for a period of three months next year for a research bay and I am looking forward to the trip,” she explained.
Tlhatlha outlined that in Germany there is a lot of research done on various subjects and the German government implements the recommendations stipulated by researchers. She however, alleged that South African government seemingly fails to implement. Tlhatlha suggested that there has to be more collaboration in Africa for the continent to improve and achieve great things.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za