CEO Voice - September 2024
Dear SAWEA Members,
As we conclude another successful Windaba, South Africa’s premier wind energy conference, we are filled with immense pride. This year’s event reaffirmed Windaba as a cornerstone of our industry’s calendar, with over 130 speakers, 950 delegates, and 40 exhibitors coming together to address the challenges facing South Africa’s energy future.
Due to the extensive planning and focus on Windaba 2024, we made the decision to release this September edition of our newsletter after the event, whilst ensuring an unforgettable conference experience. This allowed us to reflect on the outcomes of the conference and provide you with a more strategic overview of the discussions, insights, and key takeaways that emerged from our gathering.
Windaba Connect: Setting the Tone
Windaba Connect set the tone for the conference by focusing on social impact issues, a key priority for the industry. It provided a platform for meaningful reflection and dialogue on how wind energy can contribute to positive societal change. By exploring the socio-economic benefits of renewable energy, the session emphasized the role wind energy plays in fostering inclusive growth and addressing disparities in communities.
A Growing Platform for Impact
Over the past 13 years, Windaba has grown not only in delegate numbers but also in its influence. It stands as the only South African-owned renewable energy conference, showcasing our nation’s capacity to build a resilient and sustainable energy future. Alongside Windaba, WindAc delivered a dynamic academic program, providing a space for researchers and innovators to collaborate and contribute to the sector’s growth.
Key Themes and Challenges
The central focus of this year’s event was South Africa’s pressing energy needs, with grid capacity identified as the most critical challenge. Industry leaders such as Bernard Magoro and Priscillah Mabelane shared action-oriented strategies aimed at tackling this issue, while the Minister of Energy & Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, delivered an inspiring keynote on wind energy’s role in the country’s just energy transition.
Celebrating Excellence
Windaba also shone a spotlight on the sector’s outstanding achievements through the annual SAWEA Industry Recognition Awards, which honoured individuals and organisations that have excelled across the wind energy value chain. Congratulations to all our winners!
A Grateful Reflection
None of this would have been possible without the support of our sponsors, partners, speakers, and delegates. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of Windaba 2024. Special thanks go to the SAWEA team for their dedication and hard work in delivering an event of this scale.
We look forward to continuing this journey of collaboration, growth, and innovation as we work towards a secure, sustainable energy future for South Africa.
P.S. What happened at the Gala Dinner, stays at the Gala Dinner.
Regards,
Niveshen Govender
CEO
