Thousands of energy experts from around the country gathered under one roof in Benoni on September 20, kicking off the two-day annual Southern-African energy efficiency confederation conference with the theme “energy efficiency in sustainability and development goals”. Held under the patronage of Southern-Africa energy efficiency confederation representatives, the agenda featured industry experts, senior policymakers, business owners, and global investors.
The 18th annual conference shed light on the country’s energy progress from a national and global perspective.
The conference consisted of an interactive workshop, keynote speeches, and panel discussions on a range of issues and topics, including energy management, energy security, and the quickest sustainable way to decarbonize.
Attendees shared a common interest in the subjects, and the conversations charted the energy and water narrative for the coming years in the country. The overall tone of the dialogue was positive, and the energy’s indicators looked promising during each respective panel discussion.
South-African National Energy Development Institute chief executive officer Dr. Zwanani Titus Mathe highlighted the importance of implementing energy efficiency across the entire value chain of energy supply and utilization, leading to lower energy demand, reiterating the government’s efforts towards creating an enabling environment for businesses, and ensuring that all South-Africans will benefit from the country’s energy sector while actively engaging in the energy transition.
“As a country, we must focus more on energy security. We must fix the current assets that we have, and the minister of electricity is busy with that, added Dr. Mathe.
Dr. Mathe also expressed optimism for the future of the energy sector in the country, taking note of the major developments that have been implemented in recent years as well as projects due to come in the near future.
In attendance were an abundance of energy experts and entrepreneurs, such as Rito Group CEO Bertha Dlamini, SA Department of Defense Nandipha Ntsaluba, and SANEDI’s energy efficiency acting general manager Teslim Mohammed Yusuf.