The Coal & Energy Transition Day takes place on Tuesday 23 July at the Country Club Johannesburg (and online). Key players involved in South Africa’s energy supply and the energy transition – coal producers, government, SOEs including Eskom and Transnet, alternative energy providers, investors, industry associations and independent experts – will tackle some of the challenges and provide insights on the issues at hand.

Chaired by Bernard Swanepoel, this year’s event features over 30 senior representatives, including:

  • July Ndlovu, chair, FutureCoal, who will give a keynote address on the global outlook for coal and its role in the future energy landscape.
  • Mike Teke, CEO, Seriti Resources and Peter Venn, CEO, Seriti Green, who will reveal their short and longer-term strategies for coal and alternative energy.
  • Leon Groenewald, managing director: Energy, Exxaro Resources, who will discuss the multifaceted nature of South Africa’s energy transition.
  • Dan Marokane, group chief executive, Eskom, who will explain Eskom’s perspective on coal and alternative energy sources and the roles they will play in the future energy mix of South Africa.
  • James Mackay, CEO, Energy Council, who will give a keynote address on the role of coal through a reliable energy transition.

Brian Day, chair, South African Independent Power Producers Association (SAIPPA), will chair a crucial discussion on how the conversation around the energy transition is changing, with Alex McNamara, acting head: Environment, National Business Initiative; Saliem Fakir, executive director, the African Climate Foundation; Shamini Harrington, vice president: Climate Change, Sasol; Brian Innes, director, Partners in Performance and Joanne Yawitch, JETP Secretariat in SA.

Nikisi Lesufi, senior executive: Environment, Health and Legacies, Minerals Council of South Africa; Parshant Goyal, CEO, Jindal Africa; Tseliso Maqubela, DDG Mineral and Petroleum Regulation, DMRE and Ontiretse Mathews Senosi, CEO, Overlooked Group, will take part in a discussion on the future of coal in southern Africa, chaired by Arjen de Bruin, CEO, OIM Consulting.

Russell Baatjies, chief executive, Transnet Freight Rail; Alan Waller, CEO, Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT); Gavin Kelly, CEO, Road Freight Association and Denga Kwinda, CEO, Afri in transit, will share their views on the role of the rail network and ports in facilitating the transportation and export of coal, in conversation with Divyesh Kalan, executive head, Makoya Advisory.

Tshifhiwa Magoro, head, IPP Office; Niveshen Govender, CEO, South African Wind Energy Association; Wezi Gondwe, head of Business Development, Africa GreenCo and Dr Rethabile Melamu, CEO, South African Photo Voltaic Association (SAPVIA), will explain the latest developments in renewable energy and its contribution to South Africa’s energy mix, in a discussion chaired by Frank Spencer, regional director for southern Africa, Cainmani.

Johann Bester, project manager IPPs, Thebe Investment Corporation, will lead a conversation on who will fund the energy transition and what funding is available for alternative energy projects, with Dipak Patel, head: Climate Finance & Innovation, Presidential Climate Commission; Mathapelo Malao, head: Energy, Environment & ICT, DBSA; Nadège Hopman, deputy head of Regional Representation, Pretoria, European Investment Bank (EIB) and Nondu Ngidi, business development manager, Energy SBI, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

To register please click here.