Research Reports

This paper offers insights into the unique social challenges and opportunities for wind and solar developers. It distills lessons from the experiences of these companies in securing and maintaining their social licence to operate (SLTO) by eensuring that social communities share in the benefit from their projects.

This learning brief shares important lessons learnt by the Lesedi Solar Park Trust, Letsatsi Solar Park Trust and Peace Humansrus Trust (PHT).

This study assesses the SED and ED impacts of renewable energy deployment in marginalised communities in South Africa; this was carried out in the context of the COBENEFITS project with the aim of assessing the range of additional benefits2 resulting from a low-carbon energy transition in the country. It entails the assessment of selected socio-economic…

The whole debate boils down to a single question: How can renewables improve the lives of the people in South Africa? Substantiated by scientific rigor and key technical data, the study at hand contributes to answering this question. It also provides guidance to government departments and agencies on further shaping an enabling environment to maximize…

The purpose of the research on which this article reports was to investigate how renewable energy forms part of the strategy of a local government, and to evaluate how participatory processes are utilised in the development and communication of this municipal strategy. 

This study focuses on the implementation of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) projects in South Africa under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). It discusses the status of seven CSP projects with a total capacity of 600 MW, including those that are operational, under construction, and in the pre-financial close phase. The study…

The study explores the employment and economic implications of transitioning from coal to renewable energy in South Africa. It aims to ensure a just transition by assessing the necessary changes in employment, skills, and re-skilling strategies, while also drawing lessons from other countries’ successful transitions away from coal.

The focus of this report is on a more transformational or progressive JET; one in which ownership changes can help to tackle the dire socio-economic challenges that face South Africa at this point in its history.

This report tracks ownership patterns in the REI4P so far, based on publically available information, and makes recommendations for future bidding rounds. The purpose is to help ensure that the benefits of RE go beyond only the economic and environmental impacts, and that the social aspects of a just energy transition, such as ownership, are…

This investigation draws on policy documents and interview data to establish that the policy’s lack of appreciation for existing community development tradition and frameworks, commonly applied in South African development policy and programmes, has weakened its potential.

This report serves as a comprehensive handbook of the REIPPPP’s design, implementation and outcomes to date. Considered one of the top ten RE programmes globally, the REIPPPP offers valuable lessons for other developing countries in terms of designing and running competitive tenders for grid-connected renewable energy IPPs. This report also extracts these lessons, bearing in…

This research report on the potential of the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme in facilitating economic development in local communities.