The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) has announced that the official patron for the 2024 iteration of its flagship conference, Windaba, will be Energy and Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. This will be the second year in a row that he will attend Windaba.

Windaba 2024, which also has the support of the Global Wind Energy Council, will run from October 1 to October 3. It will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, and will bring together wind energy professionals, academics, civil society representatives, government representatives (and particularly, policymakers).

South Africa currently has a wind energy project pipeline with a total capacity of 32 GW.

“We must harness wind energy’s full potential to address immediate challenges such as loadshedding, and build a more resilient energy future for South Africa,” affirmed SAWEA chief communications officer Morongoa Ramaboa. “Our discussions will tackle the hurdles in wind energy development, and will explore solutions for advancing the sector.”

Windaba 2024 will have 21 sessions covering 21 topics. These will cover key issues for the sector, including grid access codes and the development of wind projects in Mpumalanga province. The conference will be addressed by more than 100 speakers from around the world.

“The event will focus on overcoming barriers to wind energy development, including grid constraints, procurement programmes, and regulatory issues,” stated SAWEA. “Key themes of the conference will include wind energy impact, implementation, finance, policy, and markets. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the investments and strategies needed to advance utility-scale wind projects and meet the country’s energy needs.”

The conclusion of the conference will be marked by an awards ceremony. This will celebrate innovative contributions to wind energy and the South African energy grid. Industry leaders will be honoured and advances pushing wind energy forward will be highlighted.