Industry organisation the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) and the German Wind Energy Association (Bundesverband Windenergie, or BWE) signed a memorandum of understanding on June 6 with the mutual goal of promoting wind energy and advancing renewable energy solutions globally.

The South African and German markets are expected to attract investment and facilitate knowledge exchange, with South Africa learning from Germany’s extensive experience in wind energy technology and infrastructure, SAWEA said in a statement.

“Our shared vision is to foster a thriving wind energy industry that contributes to social, environmental, and economic security. This partnership will enable us to build a robust framework for collaboration, thereby driving progress in the renewable energy sector, in particular wind energy,” said SAWEA CEO Niveshen Govender.

“Together, we aim to make substantial strides towards a sustainable energy future to reinforce our commitment to the South African wind energy market. On the back of our existing national diplomatic ties, this is one of the ways in which we are further supporting the energy transition and our commitment to climate-friendly energy production in Germany and beyond,” commented BWE MD Wolfram Axthelm.

The partnership aims to support capacity development, by enhancing association management and operational structures.

They also aim to promote strategic collaboration by jointly organising events, disseminating information, and conducting research.

Further, the organisations will provide each other with operational assistance aimed at addressing industry issues and establishing bi-monthly knowledge exchange meetings.

Similarly, the partners will cooperate on technical support by providing expertise and support for initiatives and conferences like Windaba Conference & Exhibition and WindEnergy Hamburg.

The organisations are also offering a 10% discount on membership fees for each other's members in good standing on a secondary membership with SAWEA or BWE, SAWEA said.