New Research to Link Renewable Energy Investment with Social Equity

The South African government has welcomed the launch of a major international research initiative aimed at deepening the understanding of how private-sector renewable energy investments can be harnessed to deliver more equitable social development outcomes in South Africa. The project, titled “Communities and the Private Renewable Energy Sector: Distributing Social Development Benefits in South Africa (COM-PRES)”, was launched on 31 July 2025 and is expected to play a vital role in shaping future policy and practice in the country's green energy space.

Minister George Backs Research for Just Transition

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, expressed strong support for the initiative, describing it as an important step toward advancing South Africa’s just energy transition agenda. “Projects like COM-PRES are not only welcome but are encouraged, as the knowledge that will be generated will contribute to driving innovation and investment that bolsters South Africa’s renewable energy capacity,” he said during the announcement on Friday.

George emphasized the critical need for renewable energy strategies that are not only environmentally sound but also socially inclusive. “South Africa can develop a resilient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable energy sector that also supports our efforts to drive sustainable economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction,” he said.

A Multinational, Multidisciplinary Effort

The COM-PRES research project spans four and a half years and is led by Dr Marianne S. Ulriksen, a Danish social policy expert from the University of Southern Denmark. It brings together a team of international and South African scholars and practitioners to investigate the real-world social outcomes of private renewable energy developments across the country.

The project is being conducted in close collaboration with two leading South African institutions:

• The Centre for Social Development in Africa at the University of Johannesburg, and

• The Centre for Social Science Research at the University of Cape Town.

This collaboration ensures that the research will benefit from both global expertise and deep local knowledge, while ensuring community perspectives are central to its findings.

Research Goals: Empowering Communities Through Energy

According to Dr Ulriksen, the core objective of COM-PRES is to investigate how private renewable energy projects can actively contribute to reducing inequality and improving livelihoods in local communities where such projects are developed. This includes a particular focus on the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP)—a flagship initiative of the South African government aimed at fostering private-sector participation in clean energy.

“COM-PRES aims to understand how private-sector renewable energy projects can address inequality in affected and surrounding South African communities through novel mandatory community trusts and social development interventions,” Ulriksen explained.

These community trusts—often a required component of REIPPPP projects—receive a percentage of revenue from renewable energy producers and are intended to fund local socio-economic initiatives. However, questions remain about the efficacy and equity of these mechanisms. COM-PRES will examine how they function in practice and how their design and implementation could be improved to yield more meaningful community benefits.

Local Engagement and National Impact

A key feature of the project is its participatory methodology. The research team will engage directly with community members, local stakeholders, and independent power producers in various parts of South Africa. Their goal is not only to document experiences but also to co-create knowledge and solutions with those who are most affected by renewable energy developments.

This community-level knowledge will be fed back to national policymakers, investors, and industry players, with the goal of producing evidence-based recommendations for how to manage and design renewable energy investments to enhance social impact and strengthen trust between communities, industry, and government.

Ulriksen added: “By working collaboratively with local communities and stakeholders, we aim to produce actionable insights that improve socio-economic outcomes and contribute to a more inclusive energy transition.”

Aligning with National Energy and Development Agendas

The launch of COM-PRES is well aligned with broader South African efforts to integrate social justice into climate action and energy policy, especially in light of the country’s commitments under its Just Energy Transition Investment Plan. The plan aims to reduce carbon emissions while ensuring that workers, communities, and vulnerable groups are supported in the shift to a low-carbon economy.

As South Africa scales up its investment in renewable energy—including wind, solar, and biomass—the question of who benefits and how those benefits are distributed has become central to the national conversation.

Minister George’s endorsement of the COM-PRES project signals growing governmental recognition of the interdependence between environmental sustainability and social equity, especially in a country still grappling with deep structural inequalities.

Looking Ahead

The findings of the COM-PRES project are expected to inform future iterations of the REIPPPP and other public-private energy initiatives. If successful, the project could serve as a model for other developing countries pursuing both energy security and equitable development through renewable energy transitions.

With the backing of academic institutions, the South African government, and international researchers, COM-PRES marks an important milestone in the journey toward a more inclusive, sustainable, and just energy future for South Africa.