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 26 October 2021.
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 runs from 26 to 28 October and aims to 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 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.
This year he is expected to 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 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.
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.
October’s digital edition is a precursor to the hybrid digital-physical event in Cape Town in June 2022.
