Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) is a nonprofit organisation promoting sustainable energy transitions in South African municipalities and across eight sub-Saharan African countries. For more than 20 years SEA has advocated for energy efficiency, clean energy (solar, wind), mass transit and affordable energy access through research, capacity building, policy discussions and information dissemination. The organisation has a strong partnership with the South African Local Government Association (Salga). Over the past four years, the SEA and Salga (through the GIZ’s Sagen programme) has trained and supported about 115 municipalities to develop policies and processes to integrate small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) onto municipal electricity grids through the Municipal Embedded Generation Support Programme. This has enabled more than one gigawatt of solar PV being commissioned, providing much-needed electricity to the electricity grid. More than 70 municipalities have approved SSEG processes in place. The SEA developed an SSEG online application portal, which has helped to expedite SSEG registrations in more than 40 municipalities. More than 4 921 applications have been received (about 141 megawatts) through the portal. The team has assisted municipalities with tariff training and with cost-of-supply studies that will ensure municipalities are charging the correct cost-reflective tariffs. The SEA has assisted 60 municipalities to develop and submit electricity cost of supply studies to the regulator, which enabled the approval of 35 tariff applications.
Greatest achievements
Through the Municipal Embedded Generation Support Programme:
- More than 115 municipalities received SSEG processing capacity, including application procedures, grid impacts, commissioning, tariff development (in partnership with the Solar Training Center)
- Network of more than 700 municipal officials that actively participate in SSEG matters.
- More than 70 municipalities with approved SSEG processes in place
- Development of an open source online application portal – (in partnership with Urban Earth).
- More than 4 921 applications were received (about 141 MW) through the portal.
- Assisted 60 municipalities to develop and submit electricity Cost of Supply studies to the
- The approval of 35 tariff applications.
What advice would you give to future generations?
When astronauts look back at Earth from space, they see a fragile planet — our only home. We must recognise that we are all on the same team, working together to protect it. We can’t afford to act alone; our collective efforts will shape the future.
The future belongs to those who understand the power of clean energy and its ability to transform communities. Clean energy is not just about technology — it’s about equity, opportunity, and building a sustainable world for everyone.