Just a few slides on my proposed research for my honours dissertation

1. Honours presentation
Christopher George Humphries
Supervisor: Prof. Danny Simatele

2. The Role of Institutions and Policy
Frameworks in Sustainable Renewable
Energy Development in South Africa
Title:

3. Introduction
• What is the project about?
o Renewable energy
o South African renewable energy policy , legislation and institutional
frameworks
o Sustainable development
o Barriers and opportunities in the South African renewable energy sector

4. Rationale
o Energy is the critical infrastructural backbone on which an economy exists and
develops
o Need to transform the energy sector globally
• Move away from emission intense electricity production
o South African electricity undersupply (demand doubling – 2030)
• How is government and private sector going to fill this gap?
• (Deichmann, U., Meisner, C., Murray, S., & Wheeler, D., 2011)
o Policy and institutions either create barriers or opportunities to
sustainable renewable development (Pegels, A., 2010)
o South Africa’s energy crisis perpetuated by institutional frameworks
• (Menyah, K., & Wolde-Rufael, Y., 2010)

5. Research question:
In what ways do institutions, energy legislation/regulation and
energy policy effect the implementation of sustainable renewable
energy infrastructure in South Africa?
Sub-questions:
In what ways are renewable energies incorporated in policy frameworks in SA?
What barriers and opportunities exist in the pursuit for renewable energy in
SA?
What are the implications of these findings on further studies and
environmental policy design?

6. Academic aim
To investigate policy and legal framework influencing the
implementation of renewable energy technologies in South Africa
Strategic aim:
Present opportunity for ‘policy entrepreneurs’ to create further
opportunity in policies for renewable energy technologies to transform
the South African energy sector

7. Objectives
• To determine what influence energy policy has on both public and private
investment as well as RE implementation.
• To determine what policies and legislation are currently in place.
• To understand the benefits of setting up renewable energies as opposed to
traditional unsustainable energy infrastructure.
• To propose new areas in policy design that will encourage investment
mechanisms in renewable energies in South Africa.

8. Renewable energy potential
http://www.ee.co.za/article/map-highlights-photovoltaic-projects.html

9. Current energy production
http://www.corospondentglobal.com/

10. Current energy production

11. Theoretical framework/research philosophy
• Economic liberalism
• Association with free markets and private ownership of capital assets.
• Sustainability (job creation; investment; wealth creation; technological
development – Foucault – political technocracy).
• Usage – significant opportunity for growth and development associated
with economic liberalism.

12. Methodology
• Qualitative research
Reasons, opinions and motivations behind the construction of energy
policy
Sourcing of literature
• Secondary data
• Appropriate legal and policy framework from respective institutions
mandated to produce, distribute and manage energy
• Internet search engines
• Scholarly articles
• White papers
• Library sources
• Policies

13. Data analysis
3 strategies
1. Rapid appraisal (Beebe, 1995)
• Quick review and investigation into the policy
• Flexible framework
• Investigate aims and objectives the relevant policies
• Look for key works and context
2. Thematic analysis
3. Meta analysis
1. Contrasting of findings from different energy specific literature
2. Identification of patterns

14. Timeline

15. For your information
• Supplementary documents (sent on request)
• Contact information
o C: 060 946 2390
o E: chris-humphries@outlook.com
o T: @CancerMustFall

16. References
http://www.ee.co.za/article/map-highlights-photovoltaic-projects.html
http://www.corospondentglobal.com
Deichmann, U., Meisner, C., Murray, S., & Wheeler, D. (2011). The economics of renewable energy
expansion in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. Energy Policy, 39(1), 215-227.
Menyah, K., & Wolde-Rufael, Y. (2010). Energy consumption, pollutant emissions and economic
growth in South Africa. Energy Economics, 32(6), 1374-1382.
Pegels, A. 2010. Renewable energy in South Africa: Potentials, barriers and options for support. Energy
policy, 38(9), 4945-4954.
Beebe, J. (1995). Basic concepts and techniques of rapid appraisal. Human organization, 54(1), 42-51.

17. Thank you