David Tinarwo

David Tinarwo holds a Ph. D. in Electrical Engineering (2008) from the University of Kassel in Germany, an M.Sc. in Renewable Energy (2003), a B.Sc. Hons. (Physics) (2001), from the University of Zimbabwe, and a Lic.Ed (Physics) (1993) from Cuba and has been a researcher in Renewable Energy, a University Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University of Venda, supervisor for several postgraduate theses, and has been responsible for over ten national and international projects. He has and still implementing a number of renewable energy research projects around South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. His research interests include wind and solar concentrating technology for electricity generation and bioenergy from animal, food and plant wastes with thrust on renewable energy for sustainable development. He has recently been Co-Principal Researcher on three collaborative research projects, “Improving the livestock carrying capacity with rainwater harvesting and conservation on grasslands for extensive and/or intensive livestock production and biogas generation from manure in rural areas of South Africa”, (collaborating with Universities of KwaZulu Natal, and Rhodes with Agama Biogas Technology company – funded by the Water Research Commission of South Africa”, “Towards a Technology Specific Innovation System for Harnessing Waste-Based Bioenergy” from South Africa’s “Global Change Grand Challenge National Research Plan”, of the Department of Science and Technology’s “Global Change, Society and Sustainable Research Programme” funded by the Department of Science and Technology and managed by the National Research Fund and “Training of local people in the Province of Limpopo of Bioenergy technologies and the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy Technologies at the University of Venda (South Africa). He is in the Steering Committee on the implementation of the Provincial Green Economy Plan, leading the Focus Area of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. He has worked with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in different capacities in its renewable energy international projects under the “ When Actually Employed (WAE) Special Service Agreement (SSA) / Individual Service Agreement (ISA) International Consultant with functional titles ranging from – International Renewable Energy Expert to Renewable Energy Systems Development for the United Nations Joint Programme on Environmental mainstreaming and adaptation to Climate Change projects in Mozambique, since February 2009 and remains in collaborative contact with the UNIDO. His duties included amongst others, to provide technical expertise and leadership on alternative energies for productive purposes, solid waste management, small-scale agricultural and industrial processing. His work also involved some renewable energy system design and supervise the implementation of the renewable energy projects in the communities under the UNIDO intervention in the UNJP. He is presently working to start a project to establish the First Specialized Biogas Laboratory in the Province, the first and only of its type in the whole province, here collaborating with renown institutions in the establishment of similar laboratory, Deutsches Biomasseforchungszentrum (DBFZ) gemeinnutzige GmbH, German International Cooperation (GIZ), the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, (LEDET). David Tinarwo lives in Louis Trichardt (Makhado) in the Province of Limpopo, South Africa.