Communities and the Private Renewable Energy Sector: Distributing Social Development Benefits in South Africa (COM-PRES)

project summary

Investment in renewable energy projects engaged in social development are part of the ambitious just energy transition in South Africa. However, it is unclear whether and how private-led social interventions support or obstruct community aspirations or align with the social provisions expected by the government. COM-PRES aims to understand how private-sector renewable energy projects can address inequality in affected and surrounding South African communities through novel mandatory community trusts and social development interventions.

Through in-depth and participatory case studies in a range of communities where renewable energy projects are developed and implemented, COM-PRES will explore how communities engage with and aim to participate in private renewable energy investments that promote equitable distribution of resources in South Africa.

The knowledge and ideas generated at the community level will feed back to national stakeholders with the aim of providing practical recommendations for designing and managing RE investments to enhance socioeconomic outcomes and relations between communities, the industry and government. Moreover, the results will contribute to the theoretical understanding of the links between communities, government and the private sector in addressing social development.