OUTPUTS
Toward disrupting the inertia in the South African energy sector, project outputs contribute to knowledge at the academia-policy interface. Outputs showcase a range conceptual, methodological and applied approaches.
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Journal articles
Caprotti, F., de Groot, J., Bobbins, K., Mathebula, N., Bulter, C., Moorlach, M., Schloemann, H., Densmore, A., and Finlay, K. 2022. Rethinking the off-grid city. Urban Geography. doi: 10.1080/02723638.20 22.2036928.
Phillips, Jon, and Saska Petrova. 2021. ‘The Materiality of Precarity: Gender, Race and Energy Infrastructure in Urban South Africa’. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 53(5):1031–50.
Caprotti, Federico, Stephen Essex, Jon Phillips, Jiska de Groot, and Lucy Baker. 2020. ‘Scales of Governance: Translating Multiscalar Transitional Pathways in South Africa’s Energy Landscape’. Energy Research & Social Science, 70:101700. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2020.101700.
Essex, Stephen, and Jiska de Groot. 2019. ‘Understanding Energy Transitions: The Changing Versions of the Modern Infrastructure Ideal and the “Energy Underclass” in South Africa, 1860–2019’. Energy Policy, 133:110937. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.110937.
Bouzarovski, Stefan, and Jenni Cauvain. 2016. ‘Spaces of Exception: Governing Fuel Poverty in England’s Multiple Occupancy Housing Sector’. Space and Polity, 20(3):310–29.
Petrova, Saska, and Alexandra Prodromidou. 2019. ‘Everyday Politics of Austerity: Infrastructure and Vulnerability in Times of Crisis’. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 37(8):1380–99.
Caprotti, Federico. 2018. ‘Future Cities: Moving from Technical to Human Needs’. Palgrave Communications, 4(1):35.
Baker, Lucy, and Jon Phillips. 2019. ‘Tensions in the Transition: The Politics of Electricity Distribution in South Africa’. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 37(1):177–96.
Phillips, Jon, and Saska Petrova. 2021. ‘The Materiality of Precarity: Gender, Race and Energy Infrastructure in Urban South Africa’. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 53(5):1031–50.
Caprotti, Federico, Stephen Essex, Jon Phillips, Jiska de Groot, and Lucy Baker. 2020. ‘Scales of Governance: Translating Multiscalar Transitional Pathways in South Africa’s Energy Landscape’. Energy Research & Social Science, 70:101700. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2020.101700.
Essex, Stephen, and Jiska de Groot. 2019. ‘Understanding Energy Transitions: The Changing Versions of the Modern Infrastructure Ideal and the “Energy Underclass” in South Africa, 1860–2019’. Energy Policy, 133:110937. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.110937.
Bouzarovski, Stefan, and Jenni Cauvain. 2016. ‘Spaces of Exception: Governing Fuel Poverty in England’s Multiple Occupancy Housing Sector’. Space and Polity, 20(3):310–29.
Petrova, Saska, and Alexandra Prodromidou. 2019. ‘Everyday Politics of Austerity: Infrastructure and Vulnerability in Times of Crisis’. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 37(8):1380–99.
Caprotti, Federico. 2018. ‘Future Cities: Moving from Technical to Human Needs’. Palgrave Communications, 4(1):35.
Baker, Lucy, and Jon Phillips. 2019. ‘Tensions in the Transition: The Politics of Electricity Distribution in South Africa’. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 37(1):177–96.
Books
Bridge, Gavin, Stewart Barr, Stefan Bouzarovski, Michael Bradshaw, Ed Brown, Harriet Bulkeley, and Gordon Walker (2018). Energy and society: A critical perspective. Taylor and Francis, Abingdon: Oxford.
Book chapters
Caprotti, F., Phillips, J., Petrova, S., Bouzarovski, S., Essex, S., de Groot, J., Baker, L., Reddy, Y., Wolpe, P. (2021) ‘Candles are not bright enough’: Inclusive urban energy transformations in spaces of urban inequality? In Keith, M., & De Souza Santos, A, (eds), African Cities and Collaborative Futures: Urban Platforms and Metropolitan Logistics, Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Baker, L., and Burton, J. (2018) The politics of procurement and the low-carbon transition in South Africa. In Kuzemko, C., Keating, M, F., & Goldthau, A. (eds), Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy and Natural Resources, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, pp. 91-106.
Baker, L., and Burton, J. (2018) The politics of procurement and the low-carbon transition in South Africa. In Kuzemko, C., Keating, M, F., & Goldthau, A. (eds), Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy and Natural Resources, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, pp. 91-106.
Reports
Reddy, Y., and Wolpe, P. (2018) Pathways to urban transformation in South Africa: The case of the City Of Johannesburg and Polokwane, Exeter: Sustainable Energy Africa.
Reddy, Y., and Wolpe, P. (2018) Exploring the challenges and niche innovations of energy service delivery in urban South Africa: An overview of seven cities, Exeter: Sustainable Energy Africa.
Cowley, R., and Phillips, J. (2018) What Can Urban Sustainability Experiments Do? Exeter: University of Exeter.
Reddy, Y., and Wolpe, P. (2018) Exploring the challenges and niche innovations of energy service delivery in urban South Africa: An overview of seven cities, Exeter: Sustainable Energy Africa.
Cowley, R., and Phillips, J. (2018) What Can Urban Sustainability Experiments Do? Exeter: University of Exeter.
Policy
Bobbins, K., Caprotti, F., de Groot, J., Pailman, W., Moorlach, M., Densmore, A., Schloemann, H., Finlay, K., Fischat, E., Siwali, S., and Links, J. (2022) ‘Keeping it cool’: Developing sustainable businesses with off-grid solar-powered productive use appliances in South Africa’s Informal Settlements. Policy brief, March 2022.
Bobbins, K., Caprotti, F., de Groot, J., Pailman, W., Moorlach, M., Densmore, A., Schloemann, H., Finlay, K., Fischat, E., Siwali, S., and Links, J. (2022) Solar mini-grids for addressing community energy needs in informal settings. Vignette, March 2022.
Caprotti, F., and Bobbins, K. (2022) Welcome to Qandu-Qandu!, Information Sheet, March 2022.
Bobbins, K., Caprotti, F., de Groot, J., Pailman, W., Moorlach, M., Densmore, A., Schloemann, H., Finlay, K., Fischat, E., Siwali, S., and Links, J. (2022) UMBANE: Welcome to Qandu Qandu! Project video, March 2022.
Bobbins, K., Caprotti, F., de Groot, J., Pailman, W., Moorlach, M., Densmore, A., Schloemann, H., Finlay, K., Fischat, E., Siwali, S., and Links, J. (2022) Solar mini-grids for addressing community energy needs in informal settings. Vignette, March 2022.
Caprotti, F., and Bobbins, K. (2022) Welcome to Qandu-Qandu!, Information Sheet, March 2022.
Bobbins, K., Caprotti, F., de Groot, J., Pailman, W., Moorlach, M., Densmore, A., Schloemann, H., Finlay, K., Fischat, E., Siwali, S., and Links, J. (2022) UMBANE: Welcome to Qandu Qandu! Project video, March 2022.
Media and other mentions
University of Plymouth’s Sphere magazine (2019) From coal to solar: The reality of achieving sustainable energy transitions in South Africa, Plymouth: University of Plymouth.
IDS Bulletin (2017) Commercial-Scale Renewable Energy in South Africa and its Progress to Date, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies.
Baker, L., and Burton, J. (2016) Why South Africa is finding it difficult to wean itself off coal, London: The Conversation.
IDS Bulletin (2017) Commercial-Scale Renewable Energy in South Africa and its Progress to Date, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies.
Baker, L., and Burton, J. (2016) Why South Africa is finding it difficult to wean itself off coal, London: The Conversation.
Engagement activities
World Urban Forum side event on ‘What Can Urban Sustainability Experiments Do?’ (2018)
Side event aimed to explore the potential benefits and limitations of urban experiments, with regard to the New Urban Agenda and recently published UN Sustainable Development Goals. The session included short vignettes of different types of urban experimentation, presented by David Hees (on the iShack solar energy project in Cape Town South Africa), Melissa Kerim-Dikeni (on the work of the Nelson Mandela Bay Regional Innovation Forum, also in Cape Town), Rob Cowley (on Corridor Manchester, UK), and May Tan-Mullins & Ali Cheshmehzangi (on smart experimentation in the city of Ningbo, China). These introductory presentations were followed by group discussions among the audience, who were invited to share their own experiences of the benefits and problems associated with urban experiments.
See more information on the side event here
Municipal workshop on 'Supporting the development of gender-sensitive sustainable energy solutions and strategies for low-income households in South Africa' (2017)
A half-day workshop was held with the City of Johannesburg and their non-governmental partners in municipal energy governance and was attended by 16 invited participants. The aim of the workshop was to supporting the development of gender-sensitive sustainable energy solutions and strategies for low income households in Johannesburg and in South Africa more broadly. The workshop was convened and facilitated by project partners Sustainable Energy Africa, with contributions informed by the research conducted under the Award from the project's Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dr Jon Phillips. A draft version of a High Level Action Plan was presented by Sustainable Energy Africa, forming the basis of discussion with municipal energy managers and non-governmental partners on how the draft Plan might be adapted and implemented. Plans were made for the City of Johannesburg Department of Environment, Infrastructure and Service Delivery (EISD) to work with Sustainable Energy Africa to present recommendations to the mayoral committee, and for EISD with support from Sustainable Energy Africa to hold a mayoral committee workshop developing awareness and capacity around the feasibility and sustainability of grid electricity and alternative energy options for low income households.
Workshop with Polokwane Municipality and other stakeholders (2017)
A half-day workshop was held with Polokwane Municipality to review, reflect, learn, share and take forward the work relating to the Energy and Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan of the municipality. The workshop was convened and facilitated by project partners Sustainable Energy Africa, with contributions informed by the research from the project's Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dr Jon Phillips. 25 participants undertook a facilitated self-evaluation of progress towards the goals of the strategy. The exercise provided a review process for the municipality and the stakeholders that they work in partnership with, as well as providing valuable insights for the project's research into the successes and challenges that policy makers and practitioners have experienced in fostering urban energy transitions. Plans were made for further engagement to provide valuable continuity in support for municipal action of climate change and energy in Polokwane, facilitated by Sustainable Energy Africa as project partners.
Side event aimed to explore the potential benefits and limitations of urban experiments, with regard to the New Urban Agenda and recently published UN Sustainable Development Goals. The session included short vignettes of different types of urban experimentation, presented by David Hees (on the iShack solar energy project in Cape Town South Africa), Melissa Kerim-Dikeni (on the work of the Nelson Mandela Bay Regional Innovation Forum, also in Cape Town), Rob Cowley (on Corridor Manchester, UK), and May Tan-Mullins & Ali Cheshmehzangi (on smart experimentation in the city of Ningbo, China). These introductory presentations were followed by group discussions among the audience, who were invited to share their own experiences of the benefits and problems associated with urban experiments.
See more information on the side event here
Municipal workshop on 'Supporting the development of gender-sensitive sustainable energy solutions and strategies for low-income households in South Africa' (2017)
A half-day workshop was held with the City of Johannesburg and their non-governmental partners in municipal energy governance and was attended by 16 invited participants. The aim of the workshop was to supporting the development of gender-sensitive sustainable energy solutions and strategies for low income households in Johannesburg and in South Africa more broadly. The workshop was convened and facilitated by project partners Sustainable Energy Africa, with contributions informed by the research conducted under the Award from the project's Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dr Jon Phillips. A draft version of a High Level Action Plan was presented by Sustainable Energy Africa, forming the basis of discussion with municipal energy managers and non-governmental partners on how the draft Plan might be adapted and implemented. Plans were made for the City of Johannesburg Department of Environment, Infrastructure and Service Delivery (EISD) to work with Sustainable Energy Africa to present recommendations to the mayoral committee, and for EISD with support from Sustainable Energy Africa to hold a mayoral committee workshop developing awareness and capacity around the feasibility and sustainability of grid electricity and alternative energy options for low income households.
Workshop with Polokwane Municipality and other stakeholders (2017)
A half-day workshop was held with Polokwane Municipality to review, reflect, learn, share and take forward the work relating to the Energy and Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan of the municipality. The workshop was convened and facilitated by project partners Sustainable Energy Africa, with contributions informed by the research from the project's Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dr Jon Phillips. 25 participants undertook a facilitated self-evaluation of progress towards the goals of the strategy. The exercise provided a review process for the municipality and the stakeholders that they work in partnership with, as well as providing valuable insights for the project's research into the successes and challenges that policy makers and practitioners have experienced in fostering urban energy transitions. Plans were made for further engagement to provide valuable continuity in support for municipal action of climate change and energy in Polokwane, facilitated by Sustainable Energy Africa as project partners.