Mkasi focuses on characterising solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for indoor and outdoor conditions, performing quality and reliability testing of solar PV and solar resource measurements and analysis, simulating solar PV systems, testing outdoor PV systems and undertaking degradation studies for different PV technologies.

He holds two national diplomas in industrial physics, specialising in photonics and renewable resources from Tshwane University of Technology. He joined the CSIR in 2017 and his contribution since then includes contributing to the PV lab’s South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) to perform 16 PV testing methods. He has contributed to numerous PV-related projects to support the local and international PV industry.

Expertise: Indoor Solar PV characterization, which comprises of accelerated stress testing, safety testing and electroluminescent imaging. Outdoor PV testing which includes PV system performance monitoring, modelling, and power or IV tracing.