Karen Gibson is a Renewable Energy Consultant, SOLTRAIN + Project Partner, and Gender & Diversity Core Team Coordinator. She also serves as Chairperson of the Solar Industries Association of Botswana (SIAB) and is the Founder and Director of So Solar (Pty) Ltd.

She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and brings more than ten years of experience in the solar energy sector across Botswana and the wider SADC region. Growing up in Botswana shaped her strong commitment to driving the green energy transition and expanding access to sustainable technologies.

Karen’s consultancy work focuses on project development and management, where she provides strategic guidance to international organisations and local institutions. Her expertise lies in diagnosing sectoral challenges and designing practical, impactful solutions.

She contributes to several technical committees, including the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) for Solar Thermal and Solar PV, the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling task team, and represents Botswana at the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Her recent work includes supporting the SOLTRAIN+ programme—funded by the Austrian Development Agency—where she plays a key role in advancing women’s participation in renewable heating and cooling across five SADC countries. This initiative is implemented in partnership with SACREEE and AEE Intec. More information is available at www.soltrain.org.