ACADEMIA to outline renewable energy advancement and the response to the energy crisis

Africa’s premier academic exchange platform, WindAc Africa 2022, is inviting renewable energy researchers to once again showcase their work. The platform, recognises the pivotal role that wind energy research and technology development plays in the sector, as it leads the way for advancement and progress, which is especially essential at a time that the country looks to renewables to meet the growing demand for clean energy supply.

It needs to be recognised that the renewable energy sector looks to the academic community to unpack and analyse investment capital, skills availability, land availability, grid access, operational excellency, and investment in local supply chain development, all of which play a critical role in ensuring that the industry will successfully deliver.

Hence, the conference works to clearly establish a road towards facilitating an integrated approach to research in achieving a successful power transition towards a greater share of renewables, as outlined in the country’s energy roadmap and prioritised by the President and the Ministers who serve on the Energy Crisis Committee.

Hosted by the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA), this fifth international academic wind energy conference offers a special programme for high potential young people from universities across the country, and hopes to welcome 40 sponsored students at this year’s event.

The conference brings together key stakeholders including professionals, policymakers, academics, government representatives and civil society. It aims to facilitate strengthened partnerships for the on-the-ground implementation of renewable energy projects, to influence energy policy, and provide a framework to aid strategic decision-making.

“This conference presents the perfect opportunity for researchers to showcase their work and reflect on the current state of the energy landscape and the industry’s readiness to transform and move towards a just energy transition,” said Niveshen Govender, CEO of SAWEA.

WindAc Africa will be hosted by SAWEA, over two days, 11 – 13 October 2022, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. As a collaborative networking environment, dialogue is stimulated between experienced researchers, motivated students and members of the wind industry. Historically, attendees from South Africa, USA, Denmark, Germany, UK and France and students from leading South African universities have participated. Speakers and presenters are judiciously selected to ensure the best content will drive the conversation, whilst the programme will be based on papers selected through rigorous peer review and final selection by a scientific advisory panel. The 2022 programme will cover technical, socioeconomic, policy, and environmental aspects of the wind industry, emphasising academic interaction across disciplines.

Abstracts may be submitted through the WindAc Africa website portal: https://www.windac-africa.co.za/2022-abstract-submission/. The proposed topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• The Wind Resource

• Wind turbine operation (Operation & Maintenance)

• Grid Integration

• Wind power and environment (Environmental Planning and Management)

• Wind turbine technology (Embedded & Utility)

• Wind Energy Economics & Finance

• Energy Policy

• Wind for Communities

• Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer

• Battery Storage

• Hydrogen Economy

• New Emerging Markets in an African Context

NOTE:

WindAc Africa Conference is the flagship industry academic conference of SAWEA. It has the vision to become the pre-eminent academic wind conference in Africa, while simultaneously becoming the pre-eminent sponsorship opportunity for excellent wind energy students from Southern African research institutions. It sets out to achieve this status by elevating knowledge of wind power supply through Africa and the world while also strengthening the cooperation between South African universities and the wind industry.