This month STG President Matthew Orosz was named a D-Lab Scale-Ups Fellow to explore a new and exciting component of STG’s work: using our technology to improve the reliability – and reduce the cost – of rural minigrid projects. Over the next twelve months Matt and the team will be building partnerships, raising funds, and breaking ground on minigrid power systems at several pilot communities in both Lesotho and Tanzania.

Over 20 individuals were trained in computer aided design and use of STG’s new computer-controlled machine tools during the last part of our UNDP GEF. Small Grants Programme funded Solar Training Program. Participants came from the National University of Lesotho, the Government of Lesotho, regional technical schools, and local businesses.

The generous support of our funders enabled STG to open the first machine shop in Lesotho with computer-controlled machining capabilities, necessary for the manufacture of many specialized parts used in solar and other systems. The shop has a full suite of tools along with two milling machines (one CNC), a lathe, variable speed horizontal and vertical bandsaws, and a drill press. See updates and reports here: Solar Jobs & Energy for Health Clinics in Lesotho.

Thank you so much to all of our supporters who helped us raise over $10,000 during 2013 to fund key improvements to our partner’s workshop facilities and help STG secure a permanent spot on GlobalGiving!

See updates and reports here: Solar Jobs & Energy for Health Clinics in Lesotho.

During January 2013, STG kicked off implementation of a new technology transfer project in partnership with ATS and the National University of Lesotho (NUL), funded by the UNDP Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP). This project includes a two-week solar short course for partners and stakeholders in Lesotho as well as construction of an educational concentrating solar power rig for use in new solar curriculum at the NUL.

STG will be expanding its work to India through a partnership with MIT, NREL, and the IISc-Bangalore via a grant from the DOE’s SERIIUS (Solar Energy Research Institute for India and the US) program.

Congratulations to STG President Matt Orosz and Treasurer Amy Mueller who received their PhDs from MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in June 2012!

Read about the Energy Globe Awards here.

We are proud to announce that Matt was awarded an Echoing Green Fellowship program for 2012 to push forward STG’s mission on a full-time basis for the next two years.

President Matthew Orosz presented STG’s work at the International Conference on Low-cost, electricity generating heat engines for rural areas in Nottingham, England.

STG has joined the United Nations 2012 Sustainable Energy for All Practitioners network. STG President Matt Orosz also joined RINGO and governmental delegates at the 2011 UNFCCC COP17 in Durban as an MITEI sponsored participant.

STG has been awarded a grant through Constellation Energy’s educational grant program to scale up outreach and visibility efforts to the public and undergraduate community in Florida.

Team STG, including Matt Orosz, Amy Mueller, Libby Wayman, and Bryan Urban, traveled to Houston, Texas this weekend to participate in the 2010 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize finals after being announced as a Finalist earlier this month.

Our entry focused on the growing demand for rural electrification in developing countries and, primarily, the significant impact we can make by providing a renewable energy option for rural institutions such as clinics and schools. This award will support completion of our two test systems, the Pilot Clinic user-test site and the Eckerd College technology testbed. Read more about the contest results and our entry!

With help from Sopogy and the Water Oak Development Group, installation of the absorber tubes to complete the solar trough assembly was undertaken in mid-September.

Guest lectures by STG at several undergraduate classes reinforced the goals of the installation both on campus and relative to STG’s work in Lesotho. Photos of the ongoing work can be seen here.

We have posted a new video featuring President Matt Orosz to give more information about our work and our motivations! Watch it here.

STG recently broke ground on a new project site at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. This installation, to be used as a technology testbed and a domestic demonstration of the technology, is being undertaken in parternship with Sopogy, Inc. and timed to coincide with Eckerd’s Africa Initiative.

Assembly and installation of a donated array of SopoNova troughs was undertaken in a location next to the Galbraith Marine Science Laboratory on Eckerd’s Campus with invaluable help from Sopogy representatives, the Water Oak Development Group, and Eckerd College students. Continued work on the installation will be ongoing over the next several months and is expected to go live in early 2011. STG would like to give many thanks to all of the partners in this project, including MIT, Eckerd College, Sopogy, Inc., and Krinner Groundscrews.