On Tuesday 29th January 2019, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cleaner Future Oy, a company that is based in Finland. Cleaner Future Oy, is an organization dedicated to providing renewable solar energy system with reliability and superior power quality which reduces the cost of electricity and the use of fossil fuels.
This collaboration includes the first phase of a project towards saving energy in MMUST. This activity will start by powering the new Administration's block wholly, using solar energy, followed by other upcoming buildings in the future. This will cut down electricity bills for the University in the medium to long term plan. The technology supplied by Cleaner Future Oy partners is cutting edge and a first in the world. Not only is the source of energy clean, but the energy their technology produces is also clean in the sense that it corrects harmonics and other noise introduced into the system by computers and other electronic equipment. A clean waveform directly results in significant savings and efficiency.
The group took an extensive tour of the new office building to get an in depth understanding of the installed electrical. This will enable the technical team come up with the least disruptive strategy for augmenting the building's system with smart solar power
The key areas of collaboration between the two institutions will be centred around; renewable power generation, electrical power quality improvement, renewable energy storage implementation, creation of an innovative business model on installation and utilization of renewables, and added value via power quality enhancement, joint fundraising for installation and operation of a showcase solar energy system on selected MMUST buildings, research facilitation through data acquired from installed systems for post graduate students, training workshops for solar energy systems, demonstration facility for the installed system at MMUST, highlighting the great advantages of renewable (solar), in line with Kenya's Big 4 Agenda, and enhancement of international and local linkages in renewable energy research and utilization.
Mr. Joni Lepisto, the company's CEO, first visited MMUST on December 5th 2018 where he paid a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Bosire and the Deputy Vice Chancellor Planning, Research and Innovation, Prof Egara Kabaji. Thereafter, a series of meetings and communication followed between the Cleaner Future's and a team that was led by the Chairperson of MMUST Greening Initiative, Dr James Owuor. The University's team comprised of; Dr. Catherine Aurah, the Director of International Relations and Academic Linkages, Dr. Ferdinand Nyongesa of Electrical and Communication Engineering Department, Dr. Consolata Ngala, the Associate Dean in the School of Postgraduate Studies and Mr. Patrick lmbalo of the Finance department.
