EfD South Africa and SETI expand the understanding of energy transitions

From the 27^th of May to the 1^st of June, EPRU and UCT were fortunate to host a Sustainable Energy Transitions Initiative (SETI) training workshop involving the economics of energy transitions, which was fortunately funded by Environment for Development (EfD). Run by Marc Jeuland (Duke University and SETI) and Amin Karimu (University of Cape Town and EPRU) along with many supporting instructors, the workshop accommodated over 30 participants, most of which are civil servants from the Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) programme and a few academics. The training covered concepts, methods and research tools that could be used to aid policy making for energy transitions.  The workshop was a vibrant place of discussion and learning, which is crucial in tackling the complexity of energy transitions in developing countries.

Understanding energy impacts on the economy

Participants at the workshop explored three overarching modules. The first module expanded on understanding the constraints, complexities and concerns of energy transitions, with focuses on incentive issues, upfront costs, and energy transition opportunities.

The second module aided the participants by building skills to apply empirical methods. There were three key methods explored: (1) Experimental, (2) Quasi-Experimental, and (3) Observational.

The final module, and the capstone for the workshop required the participants to find and describe an energy transition problem and propose a research path to aid policymakers in tackling the problem.

Participants come away with newfound knowledge

As the requirements for the energy transition increase, workshops such as these are vital in aiding individuals in upskilling themselves. Throughout the workshop, there was thought provoking discussion, as individuals from different countries across Africa and other parts of Africa came with their own unique solutions to energy transition problems. 

EPRU was grateful to have hosted such a workshop and looks forward to more teaching and learning opportunities in the future.

Josh Gray