Zimbabwe: Solar Barn on Test

Source from:  The Herald 03/28/2011

A LOCAL company is building a tobacco curing barn that uses solar energy. The barn will be providential for many tobacco growers who have been facing challenges curing their crop due to power cuts and high costs of coal. Robinson Engineering is currently testing its solar-powered barn. The company's managing director Mr Craig Robinson said the technology was from New Zealand and the United Kingdom. "We want to come up with a barn that will enable farmers to cure their crop at low costs. "This barn code named 'smart barn' and will result in the decline of cutting down of trees as farmers will stop the use of firewood for curing," he said. Mr Robinson said the barn was still on trial and once approved will be commercially available. "The barn relies on photocells and will work even when there is no sunshine," he said. After the solar barn, Robinson Engineering wants to look at the possibility of developing technology reliant on used oil. "Used oil can be useful although it will have an effect on the environment. We will look at ways we can use the substance and still reduce emissions into the air," he said. Enditem