Just energy transition organisation the Renewable Energy Solutions for Africa Foundation (RES4Africa) has completed the pilot edition of the Southern Africa Executive School, which is part of its mission to localise and expand its capacity-building efforts across the continent.

The pilot programme was designed to strengthen technical and regulatory capacities in support of a just and sustainable energy transition. The pilot was held from July 21 to 25 at the Future Africa Campus of the University of Pretoria, and the 35 participants were from Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa.

The attendees represented a diverse range of institutions, including utilities, regulatory bodies, ministries, private sector entities and academic organisations, which were selected to ensure balanced geographical and sectoral representation.

Over the course of the intensive five-day programme, participants explored critical themes such as the deployment of solar and wind technologies, the integration of variable renewable energy into power systems, electricity market structures, battery energy storage systems, regulatory frameworks, financial modelling, power purchase agreements, and mechanisms for enabling private sector participation in grid development.

In parallel, cross-cutting discussions addressed the socioeconomic dimensions of energy transitions in Southern Africa, with a strong emphasis on inclusiveness, skills development and long-term economic growth, RES4Africa says.

The gathering combined academic insights and theory with concrete case studies and industry-led sessions. Lectures were delivered by experts from a range of research and academic institutions.

Further, participants also benefitted from field visits to State-owned Eskom’s control centre and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s energy infrastructure facilities and gained first-hand exposure to South Africa’s evolving energy ecosystem, the foundation adds.

During the pilot edition, participants were divided into two specialised tracks, with one focused on electricity sector regulation and finance, and the other on renewable energy integration and grid management.

Both tracks were conducted in parallel, while also offering shared sessions and site visits to foster peer-to-peer exchange and regional networking.

The pilot edition was warmly received, further validating the need for high-quality, localised training to empower Africa’s energy workforce, RES4Africa says.

“The Southern Africa Executive School is a pivotal step in expanding RES4Africa’s footprint, ensuring that high-quality training reaches professionals across the continent,” says RES4Africa Foundation secretary-general Roberto Vigotti.

“Through this regional model, we are fostering a resilient and well-connected community of energy leaders who are ready to shape the future of African power systems,” he says.

Meanwhile, the Southern Africa Executive School builds upon the success of the Pan-African Training Centre on Renewable Energy and the Energy Transition, which is an initiative sustained by Italian think-tank Enel Foundation within the framework of Italy's Mattei Plan for Africa.

It also draws on the legacy of RES4Africa’s well-established Executive School in Milan and marks the first of a series of planned regional editions tailored to local contexts.

“Building a robust and inclusive educational framework is essential to accelerating the energy transition in Africa. The Southern Africa Executive School represents a new regional hub within this framework; one that brings knowledge closer to institutions and local professionals,” says Enel Foundation MD Giulia Genuardi.

“We are proud to sustain this initiative and reaffirm our long-term commitment to empowering energy leaders across the continent, in line with the objectives of the Mattei Plan for Africa,” she says.