The Solar Energy Materials Research group (SEMRG) is a research group at BIUST focusing on the development of devices that utilize promising thermoelectric and photovoltaic energy conversion materials. Making local Renewable Energy Sources commercially available for communities is one of the major challenges we are faced in Botswana. The main focus of the SEMRG research group is to develop joint international and local research and innovation networks for sustainable renewable energy solutions. The SEMRG research group/BIUST is part of the Long-Term Joint EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership on Renewable Energy (LEAP-RE) Consortium funded from the EU- Horizon 2020 programme and local funding agencies with about 32 Million Euro (about 410,000,000 BWP) for 5 years. The LEAP-RE consortium (see http://www.leap-re.eu/) consists of 83 partner institutions from 33 countries (44 institutions from Europe and 39 institutions from Africa). The LEAP-RE project is a milestone project for Africa on Renewable Energy. Within the LEAP-RE project, the SEMRG group participate as research partner in the funded Energy Village project. The Energy Village project is focusing on the development of a roadmap on how renewable energy sources can be utilized in reliable on-grid and off-grid solutions in Botswana. Moreover, the SEMRG research group aims to develop new innovative solutions that companies and households are able to produce their own electricity or heat from renewable energy sources 24/7.
