Claude Mandil, executive director of the International Energy Agency. (Image: International Institute for Sustainable Development)

South Africa is set to play a more meaningful role in international energy affairs with the launch on Monday, 19 February 2007, of the new South African National Energy Research Institute (Saneri), to be followed by the country's first energy technology workshop in collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA). 

The three-day workshop, the first of its kind in a developing country, is to be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from Tuesday, 20 February to Thursday, 22 February 2007. It is supported by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership and the Fossil Fuel Foundation.

The workshop takes place in the context of the IEA's Networks of Expertise in Energy Technology (NEET) initiative, which is implementing a request from the Group of Eight (G8) countries to link the IEA technology network with the five rapidly growing economies of Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa.

These five countries are expected to play a key role in helping the developed world mitigate the impact of climate change through deployment of cleaner and more sustainable energy options.

The G8 is the international forum for the governments of the world's top industrialised countries - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States - which together make up some 65% of the global economy. The IEA international energy technology network involves more than 5 000 high-level experts from governments, industry and research institutions.

South Africa's Minister of Science and Technology Mosibudi Mangena is to officiate at both events - the Monday launch of Saneri, and the international energy workshop on the following day.

At the workshop, more than 20 international and 100 local high-level stakeholders are to engage in a comprehensive exchange on the status of selected energy technologies, including solar heating and cooling, wind energy, as well as increasing the efficiency of conventional power plants. Possible areas for future joint action will also be explored.

The NEET workshop is the first in a series of such events to be held in emerging economies, with the aim of expanding the international network of energy researchers, industries and policy makers, helping to address challenges in future sustainable energy supply.

IEA Executive Director Claude Mandil has welcomed the South African meeting. "International collaboration on technology is crucial to enable all countries to meet their objectives for energy policy," he said. "We need to fully engage major developing countries. The IEA energy technology network has a big part to play. I am delighted that South Africa and our NEET Initiative were able to organise this first meeting."

To be launched on the eve of the workshop, Saneri has been tasked with stimulating the culture of innovation in energy research and development. A state-funded research company housed under CEF (Pty) Ltd, Saneri  seeks to advance the country's competitive position in energy technology development through research and human capital development.

CEF (Pty) Ltd is a public company which is involved in the search for appropriate solutions to meet the future energy needs of South Africa, the Southern African Development Community and sub-Saharan region.

At the launch, the ministers of the two departments to which Saneri reports - Minerals and Energy, and Science and Technology - are expected to reiterate the South African government's commitment to investigating sustainable energy options and advancing the country's competitive position in energy technology development through both research and human capital development.