Stellenbosch University (SU) last week hosted the Southern African Sustainable Energy Conference (SASEC), a leading platform for researchers, engineers, industry practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the latest advancements in sustainable energy.

This year's conference, held from 13 to 15 November 2024 in Somerset West, highlighted the crucial role of research, development, and innovation (RDI) in driving sustainable energy solutions and underscored the importance of science diplomacy in navigating a Just Energy Transition.

Platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration

SASEC 2024 brought together a diverse range of experts to discuss critical themes in sustainable energy. The conference featured plenary sessions, panel discussions, a policy roundtable and parallel sessions covering a wide range of topics, including solar and wind energy, bioenergy and the Just Energy Transition.

But the limelight was grabbed by 'green' hydrogen, which gets its name from its eco-friendly production method using renewable energy, setting it apart from other types of hydrogen that rely on fossil fuels and have a higher carbon footprint.

FUTURA Hydrogen Campus Southern Africa (HyCASA)

A highlight of the conference was the announcement that SU and the University of Groningen (UG) in the Netherlands would be collaborating to establish FUTURA HyCASA, a cutting-edge research and innovation hub dedicated to sustainable energy technologies and green hydrogen in Southern Africa. The facility will be established in or near Stellenbosch, which is in a key position along the Europe-Southern Africa green energy corridor.

This initiative is particularly timely, as Europe actively seeks ways to decarbonise its energy supply, and green hydrogen is becoming increasingly important. Southern Africa, which has abundant solar resources, has the potential to become a key supplier of green molecules (hydrogen and ammonia) to Europe.

Prof Cristina Trois, Director of SU's Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES) and Chair of SASEC, outlined the ambitious goals of the initiative:

· Establishing a dedicated campus with state-of-the-art research facilities and student accommodation.

· Fostering interdisciplinary research and innovation in renewable energy technologies and hydrogen production, storage, and utilisation.

· Implementing comprehensive skills development programmes to equip professionals and students with the expertise needed for the expanding hydrogen sector.

· Incubating hydrogen-focused start-ups to stimulate economic growth and job creation.

The motivation for the initiative is linked to the urgent need to increase PhD training in Africa and curb the brain drain of highly qualified energy engineers, Trois explained. Earlier this year, the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) approved 16 new collaborative PhD programmes, with the expectation of graduating 1,000 PhD holders annually within the next decade.

SU and UG are part of the Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy (CoRE-RE), one of 21 such structures jointly established by ARUA and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities last year. The CoRE-RE has a target of taking in 50 PhD candidates a year.

In line with ARUA's commitment to diversity and inclusion, the PhD programme aims for a 70% female enrolment. This emphasis on empowering women is reflected in the name of the HyCASA initiative.

“We call it FUTURA because that is the feminine form of futuro, which means 'future' in Italian," Trois explained.

UG's Prof Lorenzo Squintani underscored the transformative potential of HyCASA, likening it to a “moonshot" that could revolutionise the green hydrogen landscape.

Squintani is a key player in the Hydrogen Valley Campus Europe (HVCE) initiative in the Northern Netherlands, which serves as inspiration for HyCASA.

Driver of economic development

The first plenary session of SASEC 2024 focused on the power of RDI in the economic development of South Africa and the region.

Dr Khavharendwe Rambau of South Africa's Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) highlighted the potential of RDI to overcome challenges such as unemployment and inequality.

Prof Sampson Mamphweli, the previous director of CRSES who now heads up the DSTI's Energy Secretariat in the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), discussed the evolving energy landscape and the need for new skills and collaborative efforts to navigate the complexities involved.

Science diplomacy

The second plenary explored the power of science diplomacy in building sustainable energy corridors and navigating a Just Energy Transition.

Prof Scarlett Cornelissen of SU's Department of Political Science, who chaired the session, said: “We are all dependent on each other, and science diplomacy is an important tool to meet the challenges that the world faces."

Eudy Mabuza, South Africa's science counsellor to the European Union (EU), and Dr Laurent Bochereau, EU science counsellor to the African Union (AU), both underlined the importance of cooperation and partnerships in advancing clean energy.

A policy roundtable brought together diplomats from Italy, Germany, Japan, the Catalonia region of Spain, Belgium's region of Flanders, and the United Kingdom to discuss the role of science diplomacy in navigating a Just Energy Transition.

New skills development for the Just Energy Transition

The final plenary session focused on new skills development for the Just Energy Transition. Prof Prathieka Naidoo, the SA Research Chair in Green Hydrogen Integration and Transition at SU, stressed the need for inclusive and sustainable programmes to equip individuals with the skills required for the changing energy landscape.

Dr Natalie Kowalik of SU's African Doctoral Academy discussed the challenges and opportunities in strengthening research capacity in Africa.

Connecting academia and industry

Other higher education institutions present at SASEC 2024 included the universities of Cape Town, Fort Hare and Pretoria, as well as Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu universities.

One of the sponsors of SASEC 2024 was GeoSUN, a CRSES spin-off company, which also exhibited at the event.

Riaan Meyer, CEO, said: “It was great to connect with the various universities at the conference. We supply solar sensors and other measurement equipment used for outdoor experiments. It's always great to spend time with your clients and hear what their latest research focus is".

Empowering the next generation

The conference was preceded by a workshop focused on academic writing and entrepreneurship, which took place under the aegis of the DSTI's Renewable Energy Hub-and-Spokes Programme, in collaboration with the ARUA Centre of Excellence and Energy and the ADA at SU.

SU serves as the coordinating hub, with the University of Pretoria contributing in the solar thermal spoke, Nelson Mandela University and the University of Fort Hare in the solar photovoltaic spoke, and the University of Cape Town in the wind energy spoke. This collaborative network has produced 600 master's degrees through the years.

The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for postgraduate students and early career researchers to hone their skills in academic writing and explore the commercialisation potential of renewable energy innovations.

Speaking at the workshop, Prof Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, expressed SU's commitment to help solve South Africa's energy challenges.

Surath Simon, a master's student in heat transfer and renewable energy at SU's Faculty of Engineering, found the workshop “particularly informative", and would go on to attend the conference – a first for him.

“I'm very happy to be here because I am meeting a lot of people, and learning many new things," he said.

Marco Alvera, Chief Executive of Snam: On the Cusp of a Hydrogen Revolution