Reaching for the light switch, going to the fridge, charging your smartphone - what we take for granted today is not the case for many people. Around 700 million people worldwide still have none access to electricity. Rural regions on the African continent are particularly affected by this, as the expansion of central power grids in remote, sparsely populated areas is not profitable from a commercial, economical, profitable, financial, cost-effective perspective. So-called "microgrids" - local smart grids - are among the most promising solutions. Dr. Ester Hamatwi is conducting research into this. The electrical engineer from Namibia came to Aalen University of Applied Sciences for her post-doctorate. Over the past few months, she has been pushing ahead with her research in the field (of) renewable energies: "I want to contribute to the energy transition in Africa."
"Like magic"
Dr. Ester Hamatwi knows from her own experience what it is like to grow up without electricity. The young woman comes from a small village in northern Namibia on the border with Angola. "There was no electricity there, not even at school. We used candles or kerosene to study at night," says the 32-year-old. When she transferred to high school and moved to the city, she saw streetlights for the first time. "When they started to light up in the evening, it was like magic," recalls Hamatwi. She wanted the same for her village, as the lack of access to electricity has been proven to have a negative impact on education, health and nutrition. "I wanted to improve the living conditions in my village. One of my sisters is a civil engineer and inspired me to think in terms of electrical engineering," says Hamatwi.
A soft spot for mathematics and technicians
Even as a child, the electrical engineer and her siblings were curious and passionate about taking things apart. "You have to understand how everything works," says the scientist and laughs. And she has a soft spot for mathematics and technicians anyway. After completing her bachelor's degree at the University of Namibia, she completed her masters (UK)/master's (US) in electrical engineering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. Hamatwi then went to the University of Cape Town in Cape Town for her doctorate. Since 2022, she has been teaching and conducting research at the University of Namibia in the field (of) sustainable energy solutions and rural electrification - with a specialization in solar and wind energy systems. "Namibia is about two and a half times the size of Germany, but only has around 3.1 million residents. It's a dry country with lots of sunlight and deserts," says Hamatwi, adding with a laugh: "We have plenty of space for solar systems."
Self-sufficient "island grids"
Over the past few months, she has been conducting research as a scholarship holder of the German Research Foundation (DFG ) in the laboratory for power electronics and electric drives at Aalen University of Applied Sciences under the management of Professor Heinrich Steinhart. The focus was on the modeling of hybrid renewable energies that integrate photovoltaics, wind energy and battery storage systems. "Public supply lines make none economic sense in rural areas, where there are many small villages with often only around 80 residents. That's why decentralized energy supply should be expanded," explains Hamatwi. And this is where so-called "microgrids" come into play - small, independent power grids that can secure the energy supply. Such self-sufficient "island grids" are a combination of electricity generation systems from renewable energies such as solar and wind power as well as energy storage systems to form a local grid.
A benefit for the institution of higher education
Her research results are now to be incorporated into a joint project with the German Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ ). She is being supported by Professor Dr. Heinrich Steinhart, who has been to Namibia several times and is familiar with the living conditions there: "It's nice to share knowledge. And it is a great benefit for our institution of higher education to have international researchers on board. It also enables our students to think outside the box."
An exciting development in the truest sense of the word
"It was great to conduct research here at Aalen University of Applied Sciences. The laboratories are simply very good and the exchange with the other researchers was very enriching for me," says Hamatwi enthusiastically. "I'm already looking forward to passing on all the new knowledge I've gained to my students." The 32-year-old is just as passionate about conducting research as she is about teaching. "You always have to know more than the students. And if you don't know something, you have to read up and do research," says the electrical engineer, who is aiming for a professorship as the next step in her career. With a smile, Ester Hamatwi adds: "I like to keep learning. After all, there is always progress in my field and the development is super exciting." In the truest sense of the word, so to speak.
