Energy Council of South Africa to Accelerate Energy Transition by Tackling Skills Gap with Energy Exemplar

Energy Exemplar to support South Africa's Energy Transition through providing the Energy Council of South Africa with access to advanced modelling platform

Johannesburg, South Africa – 10 September 2024: The Energy Council of South Africa (the Council), a key player in the country’s energy sector, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Energy Exemplar, a global leader in energy modelling and simulation software. This strategic cooperation underpins the Council’s recent launch of the Energy Data and Modelling South Africa (EDMSA) platform, which aims to create an open engagement platform in South Africa for energy system data and modelling.The MoU was signed by James Mackay, Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Council of South Africa, and Stuart Kelly, Chief Revenue Officer of Energy Exemplar.

In light of the pressing challenges in South Africa's energy transition, the Council has warned of significant local capacity gaps, particularly in system modelling. “This can largely be attributed to a lack of technical capacity but also due to costly modelling and data platforms, limited collaborations, and opaque data sharing practices,” stated the Council. These issues are particularly concerning as the country faces complex decisions in its shift towards renewable energy.

The newly launched EDMSA platform, developed together with Energy Exemplar using their PLEXOS software, is an innovative and collaborative approach to addressing these challenges. This cloud-based, multi-stakeholder platform will enhance national capacity building, foster collaboration, and promote transparency in data sourcing and sharing among key energy players.

“In this crucial time of accelerating the energy transition, it is vital that our decisions are informed by transparent, reliable, and accessible data. This collaboration with Energy Exemplar will enable us to achieve just that by using their world-class PLEXOS software as our platform of choice. Our goal is to ensure that all energy stakeholders in South Africa have access to the best data and models to guide our nation towards a sustainable, secure, and affordable energy future.” 

James Mackay, Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Council of South Africa

The collaboration will focus on several key objectives:

• Facilitating Collaboration Across Energy Stakeholders: EDMSA will serve as a multi-stakeholder platform, bringing together academia, finance and investment, public and private sectors to create a unified approach to energy data and modelling.
• Promoting Transparency: The platform will offer open access with an objective of framing a more constructive and informed debate in support of our national energy planning and policy objectives.
• Addressing Expertise Shortages: By facilitating more and better energy planning through more skilled professionals, the platform will not only accelerate the energy transition but will also contribute to making energy more affordable and accessible for all South Africans.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with the Energy Council of South Africa on this important initiative. Our PLEXOS® platform, already widely used in South Africa, will play a crucial role in achieving decarbonisation goals by providing robust energy simulations. Together, we can support South Africa's journey towards a sustainable energy future and educating the market is a key step in this” 

David Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, Energy Exemplar

As part of the MoU, Energy Exemplar will provide advanced modelling services to restructure and optimise the existing energy datasets, allowing for alternative input assumptions and scenario analysis. The initial phase will include a live platform and a trial for selected members of the Council to demonstrate the capabilities of the PLEXOS® suite in real-time energy planning and forecasting. The project is the first of its kind, and a pivotal step towards democratising energy planning.

About the Energy Council of South Africa: The Energy Council of South Africa is a CEO-led initiative that brings together key public and private sector companies, business/industry associations and finance institutions that have a significant presence and actively participate in the energy sector. We serve as the collective and unified voice of the energy sector, enabling a thriving and sustainable energy sector that supports inclusive economic growth for South Africa.

The Energy Council supports South Africa’s commitments under the UNFCCC Paris agreement and our country’s climate legislation aimed at achieving Net Zero by 2050, and further recognises the critical importance of a successful national energy transition in meeting those decarbonisation targets whilst maintaining energy security.

 
About Energy Exemplar: In an era where the world is rapidly advancing towards a cleaner future through decarbonization, Energy Exemplar’s mission lies in ‘Empowering Transformative Energy Decisions’. Founded in 1999 in Adelaide, Australia, the company’s award-winning PLEXOS® modelling and simulation software is trusted by innovative organisations across the globe. On one unified platform, stakeholders from across the entire energy value chain are revolutionising the energy ecosystem and seamlessly planning for the future of energy with unprecedented clarity, speed, and innovation.

 

For Media Enquiries, please contact: 

• For Energy Council media enquiries, please contact: pippa.brown@energycouncil.org.za
• For Energy Exemplar media enquiries, please contact: marketing@energyexemplar.com