Enlit Africa returns to Cape Town as a live conference and exhibition from 7–9 June this year, focusing on the current opportunities and challenges in the energy sector – from self-generation for municipalities, to gas exploitation and renewable and energy storage solutions for the commercial and industrial sectors.

Formerly known around the continent as African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, Enlit Africa has been connecting the utility industry on the continent for more than two decades.

“People in the industry are eager to get together, to engage; from utilities and municipalities to independent power producers, project developers and technology and service providers,” says Enlit Africa content director Claire Volkwyn. “Furthermore, there are some really exciting things happening in the sector right now, so we look forward to bringing the role players together under the same roof again to discuss their challenges and celebrate their successes.”

Municipal energy independence to gas
Several sessions at Enlit Africa will focus on the broader theme of the energy transition on the continent, including recent changes in the South African municipal energy landscape and climate change and investment in the sector. The event will bring together municipal leaders’ and Utility CEOs to unpack the energy mix needed for Africa to achieve net zero in carbon emissions.

“Before the COVID 19 pandemic,” says Volkwyn, “we had 600-million people on the continent with no access to electricity; that number has increased since the pandemic as many people have lost their jobs, cannot afford to buy electricity and many have gone back to traditional forms of cooking using fossil fuels as an energy source.”

She continues: “Therefore, if electrification is to continue, we have to make sure that energy prices are realistic. It is important to realise that the energy transition for Africa cannot follow a similar trajectory to that of Europe. We have to follow our own path in order for it to fit with our circumstances.”

Energy storage and gas
The role of renewables and energy storage in the transition are also important features on the programme. Enlit Africa and the South African Energy Storage Association (SAESA) recently announced a unique partnership to launch Africa’s first platform for Integrated Storage and Alternative Power Solutions in June that will look at both renewable and energy storage solutions in a holistic manner, offering real-world solutions.

"The developments in energy storage will make a massive difference to the efforts to achieve net zero in carbon emissions over the next period,” says Jo Dean, board member and spokesperson for SAESA.
The SAESA platform will take a technology-agnostic approach for real-world solutions aimed at the private sector, municipalities and energy-intensive power users looking for practical, implementable, and financially viable alternatives. “Energy storage is the catalyst for new power generation technologies to mature, and this platform will unpack some of the mystery and technical complexities,” says Volkwyn.

The potential of gas on the continent remains an exciting prospect with several sessions dedicated to this topic, including:

• South Africa's Gas Utilisation Master Plan and the future of gas in Africa
• Biogas in Africa featuring case studies that focus on preparing markets in emerging countries for the uptake of sustainable biogas technologies and projects.
• The ongoing question of gas in the generation sector

More Enlit Africa session highlights will include:

• Scaling up your clean energy business
• Case study: Renewables and storage in the C&I environment
• Converting existing power generation plants: While conversions can be expensive, the utilities already have the facilities, water supply and transmission lines on site. Could converting a facility cost less than installing the emissions control system required?
• Hydrogen in Africa: Pricing, creation and roadmaps for hydrogen creation
• Utilising offshore wind in Africa
• Case study: Africa’s first transmission PPP project
• The corporate and capital unbundling of Eskom