Launch of the Energy Efficient Lighting Research Collaboration Platform

The South African - German Energy Partnership and the SAGEN Programme, both implemented by GIZ, supported their partner ‘SANEDI’ in hosting and launching an energy efficient research collaboration platform to support the development and growth of the energy efficient lighting industry in South Africa. The initiative was born out of a project that looked at profiling research and researchers currently conducting research on energy efficient lighting at the South African academic institutions, public and private sector organisations aimed at identifying gaps and recommendations for future research focus areas.

SANEDI’s approach for establishing sectoral research collaboration platforms is based on four steps and these are 1) identify sector interest 2) conduct baseline study 3) assemble stakeholders and 4) execute. The results and findings of the energy efficient lighting research overview presented by SMEC South Africa during the launch formed step 2 of this SANEDI process while the launch event itself constituted step 3 of the process. SANEDI will engage the industry further before it can finally execute/activate the platform. The Energy Partnership remains ready to consider supporting the formulation of the proposed research collaboration platform between local institutions as well as between South African and German institutions.