Leading power platform to focus on preparation for COP26

The organisers of Enlit Africa have confirmed that Eskom Group Chief Executive André de Ruyter will once again be part of the opening session of the event on Tuesday morning, 26 October. The leading platform and discussion forum for the power and energy sector on the continent will specifically focus on how the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), taking place in November, could provide the launchpad for Africa’s energy transition.

Formerly known as African Utility Week, Enlit Africa is unpacking what the continent needs to concentrate on to decarbonise the power sector. Running from 26–28 October, Enlit Africa will provide practical solutions to prepare the continent for a NetZero reality. The programme looks at various ways to achieve this; from LNG as a transitional energy source, municipal energy independence, e-mobility, and how Africa is preparing for, and what it is expecting from, the COP26 summit.

During the Mr de Ruyter’s keynote appearance at a previous edition of the event, he shared Eskom’s long-term strategy, discussed the utility’s plans for decommissioning existing coal stations and repurposing the infrastructure, as well as moving into renewable energy. During the keynote session in October this year, the Eskom GCE will give more insight into Eskom’s COP26 journey and the anticipated outcomes.

Other confirmed industry experts appearing in the Enlit Africa sessions are:

• Meike Wetsch, programme manager, Coega Development Corporation, South Africa
• Dhevan Govender, senior commercial & business manager, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa
• Adrian Strydom, executive director, SA Oil and Gas Alliance
• Frederic Verdol, senior energy expert: energy & extractives, World Bank
• Vally Padayachee, special advisor, Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities
• Jessica Stephens, CEO, AMDA, Kenya
• Roland Nkwain Ngam, programme manager: climate justice and socio-ecological transformation, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, South Africa
• Patrick K. Tonui, head of policy and regional strategy, GOGLA, The Netherlands

Enlit Africa session highlights will include:

• Keynote session: How COP26 could provide the launchpad for Africa’s energy transition.
• To LNG or not: Is that the question?
• Municipal Energy Resilience in South Africa - assisting local government to take advantage of new energy regulations, including purchasing energy directly from IPPs.
• E-mobility: Creating a regulatory and policy environment to encourage EV uptake.
• Prepayment as a precursor to enhanced energy and financial efficiency.
• Digital equity: Ensuring that digital advances are equitable and just.
• Energy storage: Generation, transmission or distribution asset?
• Finance, investment and strategy: Is there an oversupply of funding and an undersupply of projects?
• ROUNDTABLE: Heading to COP26: Has the COVID-19 crises derailed the climate finance agenda?
• Waste not, want not: re-use, recycle and reclaim your wastewater.
• Water security 2.0: Looking Durban’s experience in addressing monumental water challenges.

Gathering the industry
Formerly known around the continent as African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, Enlit Africa has been connecting the utility industry on the continent for more than two decades and in the next edition will also bring back its popular water track. October’s digital edition is a precursor in the lead-up to the hybrid event in Cape Town in June next year.

In tune with this year’s theme, leading power and event media partner ESI Africa will highlight the leaders and projects nominated to the African Power & Energy Elites annual publication. During the Enlit Africa digital event in October, the finalists who will  appear in the 2022 edition of the Elites publication will be announced.

Enlit Africa’s successful transition to digital
The fast-growing attendee numbers and feedback from participants and partners fully support the remarkable and successful transition that the organisers of the event have made from live events to providing a digital forum for the industry to connect via live, online events on the Enlit Africa-Connect platform.The June edition of the event, the third in the last 18 months, attracted more than 5,000 registered attendees, representing more than 70 countries and featuring 50 speakers.All the previous Enlit Africa sessions remain available on demand on the event platform.

For access, register on the Enlit Africa-Connect platform by clicking here.

Industry support
Eskom, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the City of Cape Town have been official hosting partners of the event for many years and 2021 is no exception.

ESI Africa, the continent’s leading news provider for power and energy news, is the official host publication.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

Enlit Africa dates and venues:
Digital Event: 26–28 October 2021
Next live, in-person conference and exhibition: 7–9 June 2022
Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Website: www.enlit-africa.com

Industry’s finest to discuss practical realities of Africa’s transition to NetZero

“It’s about moving from theory to implementation, it’s time to get stuck in and become practical as the African continent transitions towards NetZero by 2050, and COP26 in November is a very important pitstop in that journey,” says Claire Volkwyn, programme director for Enlit Africa, the leading power and energy platform and discussion forum, returning from 26 to 28 October.

Formerly known around the continent as African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, Enlit Africa has been connecting the utility industry on the continent for more than two decades and in the next edition will also bring back its popular water track. October’s digital edition is a precursor in the lead-up to the hybrid event in Cape Town in June next year.

Volkwyn adds: “There was such a great response to our theme of ‘The 5Ds* of the energy transition’ during our event in June, focusing on what the continent needs to concentrate on to decarbonise the power sector. In October we move into the practical implementation of solutions to prepare the continent for a NetZero reality, including looking at LNG as a transitional energy source, municipal energy independence, E-mobility, and what Africa is bringing to and expecting from the COP26 summit.”

*decarbonisation, decentralisation, democratisation, digitalisation and deregulation

“It takes strong leadership and innovative projects to take an idea from theory to implementation,” says Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl, editor of ESI Africa and African Power & Energy Elites journals. She explains: “It is only through the resilience of successful leaders and projects that Africa can deliver on its net-zero ambitions. In tune with this year’s theme, ESI Africa will highlight the leaders and projects nominated to the African Power & Energy Elites annual publication. During the Enlit Africa digital event in October, we will announce the finalists who will appear in the 2022 edition of the Elites publication.”

Enlit Africa session highlights will include:

• Keynote session: How COP26 could provide the launchpad for Africa’s energy transition.
• To LNG or not: Is that the question?
• Municipal Energy Resilience in South Africa - assisting local government to take advantage of new energy regulations, including purchasing energy directly from IPPs.
• E-mobility: Creating a regulatory and policy environment to encourage EV uptake.
• Prepayment as a precursor to enhanced energy and financial efficiency.
• Digital equity: Ensuring that digital advances are equitable and just.
• Energy storage: Generation, transmission or distribution asset?
• Finance, investment and strategy: Is there an oversupply of funding and an undersupply of projects?
• EGovernment: Africa is in a prime position to utilise eGovernment services.
• ROUNDTABLE: Heading to COP26: Has the COVID-19 crises derailed the climate finance agenda?
• Waste not, want not: re-use, recycle and reclaim your wastewater.
• Water security 2.0: Looking Durban’s experience in addressing monumental water challenges.

Enlit Africa’s successful transition to digital |
The fast-growing attendee numbers and feedback from participants and partners fully support the remarkable and successful transition that the organisers of the event have made from live events to providing a digital forum for the industry to connect via live, online events on the Enlit Africa Connect platform.

The June edition of the event, the third in the last 18 months, attracted more than 5,000 registered attendees, representing more than 70 countries and featuring 50 speakers.

Some of the feedback includes:

“I would like to thank the Clarion Events team for the professional and creative execution of the Enlit Africa sessions. The technological advancement from the last digital event they hosted to this one is evident and it is comforting to witness the agile nature in which they worked with us.”
- Gugu Masina, Brand Manager, Conlog

“The African Utility Week has always been a direct way of reaching out to the entire African market for PRIME Alliance. With a single trip over 3 to 4 days, PRIME has been able to follow African priorities and interact with stakeholders in the African continent. With Enlit Africa’s new hybrid model, PRIME’s reach is further extended by joining more targeted sessions and intimate circles.”
- Pilar Julián Arrieta, Strategic Consulting, ianusGroup

“Thank you to the Enlit team for hosting us at the Enlit Africa Digital event for 2021. From the planning, guiding us and execution of our campaign, making sure that we are creating awareness of our brand, albeit in these trying times; we were thoroughly impressed. We can’t wait for the next one.”
- Nonkululeko Mdhalose, Marketing Manager, Vexila

All the previous Enlit Africa sessions remain available on demand on the event platform. For access, register on the Enlit Africa-Connect platform by clicking here.

Industry support
Eskom, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the City of Cape Town have been official hosting partners of the event for many years and 2021 is no exception.

ESI Africa, the continent’s leading news provider for power and energy news, is the official host publication.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

Enlit Africa dates and venues:
Digital Event: 26–28 October 2021
Next live, in-person conference and exhibition: 7–9 June 2022
Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: www.enlit-africa.com

Media contact:
Annemarie Roodbol
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DiBiCoo project to assist African biogas sector growth

The millions of tons of organic waste on the continent could become a valuable and viable source of green energy by turning it into biogas, and at the same time, reducing the carbon footprint and environmental and climate impacts of conventional coal-fired electricity.

* Biogas is the mixture of gases produced by the breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen (anaerobically), primarily consisting of methane and carbon dioxide. Biogas can be produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage or food waste. – Wikipedia

Just in South Africa alone, according to the government’s 2020 State of Waste Report, the country generated approximately 55.6 million tons of waste in 2017, of which just more than a third was organic. South Africa’s National Waste Management Strategy aims to have 40% of biogas produced from organic waste by 2025, this strategy and regulatory framework is expected to be finalised in this year.

Many local government structures, municipalities and businesses have expressed interest in waste-to-energy technologies and information on how to set up such plants, as there is an increasing need to secure and reduce their energy demand, be more water efficient and reduce their waste stream, particularly as the space for landfills is drying up. Biogas and biomethane technologies could be one way for them to address these needs.

EU’s DiBiCoo project to share know-how
GreenCape is presenting a workshop with practical information and advice on Tuesday, 29 June 2021, at 09h00 SAST. As the South African implementing part for the EU H2020 research and innovation funded DiBiCoo project (Digital Global Biogas Cooperation). GreenCape is facilitating cooperation between stakeholders in Europe who are eager to share their waste-to-energy know-how and technologies with developing and emerging countries. In the European Union, biogas plants already have an installed electric capacity of 11 GW, with Germany leading the sector worldwide.

On the African continent, South Africa, Ghana and Ethiopia have been selected to be part of this project as these countries have a high market potential for biogas projects, along with the potential to develop favourable regulatory environment and support schemes. The aim of the DiBiCoo project is not only to share information on available European technologies, but also on the framework conditions, market opportunities, research needs, financing opportunities and potential ideas for projects.

GreenCape will also assist in developing digital support tools for capacity building, networking and dissemination of online information to facilitate technology exports and act as a database for interested stakeholders.

The programme for the upcoming Digital Global Biogas Cooperation workshop will include the following biogas industry experts:

DiBiCoo overview:
Ann-Kathrin van Laere, DiBiCoo Project manager, GIZ* 
South African biogas context:
Alberto Borrello, Secretary General, South African Biogas Industry Association 
South African biogas market barriers: 
Yaseen Salie, bio-energy analyst, GreenCape

*GIZ supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development.

Breakaway sessions facilitated by:
- Dwight Rosslee, director, Selectra 
- Mandisa Mkhize renewable energy sector desk, GreenCape
- Tawanda Sango, circular economy analyst, GreenCape

The workshop culminates in:

DiBiCoo online platform presentation: 
Aleksejs Zacepins, scientific project manager, DiBiCoo Project at Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies 
Plenary discussion on breakaway sessions with Q&A session:
Facilitated by Jack Radmore, energy programme manager, GreenCape

Attendees will be able to interact with the presenters during the live session to gain a better understanding of the biogas market landscape and provide feedback and insight on their own experiences related to the content presented.

DiBiCoo workshops dates, times and registration:
Tuesday, 29 June 2021:
07h00—10h00 GMT | 08h00 to 11h00 London | 08h00 to 11h00 Lagos | 09h00 to 12h00 Johannesburg | 10h00 to 13h00 Ethiopia | 07h00 to 10h00 Ghana

Wednesday, 20 October 2021:
07h00—10h00 GMT | 08h00 to 11h00 London | 08h00 to 11h00 Lagos | 09h00 to 12h00 Johannesburg | 10h00 to 13h00 Ethiopia | 07h00 to 10h00 Ghana

The workshop will be broadcast live on the leading energy industry digital platform, Enlit Africa-Connect. TO REGISTER FOR FREE, click here.

Enlit Africa Enlit Africa-Connect is the 24/7 digital platform of the leading Cape Town-based power and energy conference and exhibition, Enlit Africa, the new brand of African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, which served the energy sector on the continent for more than 20 years. The event has had three very successful, interactive digital editions in the last 18 months, most recently from 8–10 June 2021, gathering more than 1500 power professionals for three days of debate, training and sharing. All the sessions are still available to watch or listen to on demand on the Enlit Africa-Connect platform platform.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

ESI Africa, the continent’s authoritative voice in power and energy news, is the official host publication.

GreenCape was established in 2010 to support the growth of the green economy in the Western Cape.

The DiBiCoo project has received funding from the European Union´s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N° 857804. The sole responsibility for the content of these workshops lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the EU.

Media contacts:
Enlit Africa:
Annemarie Roodbol
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

GreenCape:
Senior Communications Officer: Nicholas Fordyce
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Longstanding energy platform gathers all role players to discuss, debate and do deals

Gwede Mantashe, South Africa's Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, and Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, Chairman of the Board of Eskom, will be among the high-profile keynote speakers at Enlit Africa, formerly African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, taking place from 8-10 June.

Enlit Africa will kickstart its return on Tuesday, 8 June at 10h00 with a visionary discussion on the “5Ds of the energy transition”, namely: decarbonisation, decentralisation, democratisation, digitalisation and deregulation. The opening session will feature local and global experts unpacking how the evolution of the power and energy sector globally will also affect local supply and opportunities, focusing on technology, policy and funding.

More exciting speakers and moderators on the programme include:

• Mary Warlick, Deputy Executive Director, International Energy Agency, France
• Sabine Dall'Omo, CEO, Siemens, South Africa
• Ashish Khanna, Practice Manager: West and Central Africa, World Bank, USA
• Dr Albert Butare, a former Minister of State for Infrastructure in the Republic of Rwanda and currently the CEO of Africa Energy Services Group Ltd
• Gillian-Alexandre Huart, CEO, ENGIE Energy Access, Belgium
• Hendrik Malan, CEO - Africa, Frost & Sullivan, South Africa
• Dr Jarrad Wright, Principal Researcher, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa
• Mandy Rambharos, GM: Just Energy Transition Office, Eskom, South Africa
• Ashish Kumar, Head of Innovation, Shell Foundation, United Kingdom
• Tobi Busari, Team Lead: Embedded Generation and Renewable Energy, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Nigeria
• Roland Ngam, Programme Manager, Climate Justice & Socio-Ecological Transformation, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, South Africa
• Kadri Nassiep, Executive Director (Energy), City of Cape Town

The view the full programme and to register to attend, click here. All content will also be available on demand following the live broadcasts.

Industry support

Eskom, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the City of Cape Town have been official hosting partners of the event for many years and 2021 is no different. Global and local top technology and services suppliers to the industry, including Siemens, Landis + Gyr, Brady Corp, Oracle, IFS, G3-PLC, GE, Toshiba, Power Africa and Conlog are returning as sponsors at Enlit Africa.

Other industry supporters are Prime Alliance, WESGRO, City of Cape Town, Ntiyiso Consulting and many more.

ESI Africa, the continent’s leading news provider for power and energy news, is the official host publication while the Enel Foundation is back as the knowledge partner.

Same inspiration, different look

Enlit Africa, taking place from 8 to 10 June, is the new brand for the Cape-town based African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa conference and exhibition, which for more than 20 years has been the flagship power and energy show for the continent’s energy sector. The event had two very successful, interactive digital editions last year and rebranded in November 2020.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

Enlit Africa dates and venues:
Digital Event: 8 - 10 June 2021

Next live, in-person conference and exhibition: 7 – 9 June 2022
Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Website: www.enlit-africa.com

Media contact:
Annemarie Roodbol
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Can Africa carve out a role for itself in the burgeoning hydrogen market? How do cities climate proof their energy sectors and water systems? Where will the funding come from for the 5Ds of the energy transition?

These are just some of the pertinent questions and topics up for discussion during the upcoming Enlit Africa, taking place from 8 to 10 June, featuring live sessions with the sector’s leading minds. The online platform will be opened with a welcome address by South Africa’s mineral and energy resources minister, Gwede Mantashe.

Hydrogen

“Countries such as South Africa and Kenya already have the infrastructure in place which can be leveraged to take advantage of green hydrogen both for production and export,” says Hendrik Malan, partner and Africa CEO at Frost & Sullivan Africa and moderator of the upcoming session on: The role of Africa in the global hydrogen-generation market.

“Hydrogen, specifically green and blue,” he explains, “has the potential to considerably accelerate sub-Saharan Africa’s electrification rate. Furthermore, through export of this green resources, local economies can be strengthened, driving job creation, and establishing countries as key suppliers ahead of the rest of the world.”

According to Malan, while hydrogen is still in the R&D and early implementation phase, governments already need to put the respective legislation and regulations in place to enable fast implementation.

Climate change

Climate change and its effect on the future of the energy sector is a critical theme that forms a thread throughout the Enlit Africa programme. From the opening session’s panel that will focus on the 5Ds of the energy transition – namely decarbonisation, decentralisation, democratisation, digitalisation and deregulation – to how African governments are currently devising their own climate change policies.

“We all know that the global community has decided to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees. The consequences of an overshoot are too catastrophic to contemplate and so we need to invest more in adaptation strategies,” says Dr Roland Nkwain Ngam, programme manager for climate justice and socio-ecological transformation at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

Ngam, who is speaking in the Climate finance - adaptation and mitigation session, adds: “Coal power is killing us and we need to force polluters to pay their fair share for adaptation activities.”

Enlit Africa will also feature an exclusive interview with City of Cape Town executive director Kadri Nassiep on how the City of Cape Town is addressing climate change.

More exciting speakers and moderators on the programme include:

• Ashish Khanna, Practice Manager: West and Central Africa, World Bank, USA
• Sabine Dall'Omo, CEO, Siemens, South Africa
• Dr Albert Butare, a former Minister of State for Infrastructure in the Republic of Rwanda and currently the CEO of Africa Energy Services Group Ltd
• Gillian-Alexandre Huart, CEO, ENGIE Energy Access, Belgium
• Dr Jarrad Wright, Principal Researcher, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa
• Mandy Rambharos, GM: Just Energy Transition Office, Eskom, South Africa
• Ashish Kumar, Head of Innovation, Shell Foundation, United Kingdom
• Tobi Busari, Team Lead: Embedded Generation and Renewable Energy, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Nigeria

Further session highlights at Enlit Africa:

• The realities of incorporating small scale embedded generation (SSEG) into a local distribution grid
• The business case for a circular economy
• Training: Fundamentals of PV systems with energy storage
• Managing revenue losses – Nigeria’s turnaround in collections despite a challenging economic environment
• How solar PV is changing the commercial and industrial energy landscape
• Bringing renewables onto the grid: G-PST Consortium presentation
• Case study: Preparing for how mini grids meet the national grid
• How gas can enable the decarbonisation of the power sector in sub-Saharan Africa
• Interview: The first solar IPP in Burundi

All content will also be available on demand following the live broadcasts.

Same inspiration, different look

Enlit Africa, taking place from 8 to 10 June, is the new brand for the Cape-town based African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa conference and exhibition, which for more than 20 years has been the flagship power and energy show for the continent’s energy sector. The event had two very successful, interactive digital editions last year and rebranded in November 2020. 

Industry support

Eskom, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the City of Cape Town have been official hosting partners of the event for many years and 2021 is no different.

Global and local top technology and services suppliers to the industry, including Siemens, IFS, SAS, G3-PLC, GE, Toshiba and Conlog are returning as sponsors at Enlit Africa. Other industry supporters are Prime Alliance, WESGRO, City of Cape Town, and Ntiyiso Consulting and many more.

ESI Africa, the continent’s leading news provider for power and energy news, is the official host publication while the Enel Foundation is back as the knowledge partner.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

Enlit Africa dates and venues:
Digital Event: 8 - 10 June 2021
Next live, in-person conference and exhibition: 7 – 9 June 2022
Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: www.enlit-africa.com

Media contact:
Annemarie Roodbol
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.