The EU Green Power Transformation Forum 2023 took place earlier this week in Mbabane, Eswatini. The event had been arranged by the European Union (EU) Delegation to Eswatini, the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE), GET.invest, and GET.transform with co-hosting support from Business Eswatini (BE) and the Renewable Energy Association of Eswatini (REAESWA).
Expanding on the achievements of last year’s edition, the Forum functioned as a platform for nurturing business partnerships, exchanging knowledge, and ultimately mobilising investments in renewable energy within the Kingdom of Eswatini.
Emphasising various facets of collaborative efforts with GET.invest and GET.transform, the conference specifically delved into the joint roles played by public and private sector entities in propelling the energy transition in Eswatini.
The country’s public sector demonstrated unwavering support and devotion to the green transition. In his opening speech, the newly appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Prince Lonkhokhela, highlighted renewable energy projects under development through Public Private Partnerships. This entails 75MW solar power plants and a 40MW of biomass power capacity, with commissioning planned for 2025 and 2026 respectively. The minister added:
These projects will be developed by the private sector in partnership with the Government through the provision of the necessary support that will be required to ensure that the projects are successfully developed.”
Further reporting on the impact yielded with public sector partners, GET.transform hosted a knowledge sharing session on the important topic of Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG). Through its collaboration with Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA), GET.transform also shared a glimpse into the Policy Catalyst Window on Distributed Generation which offers tailored support to regulators and utilities.
With the Forum also exploring an outlook on project investment, skills development, and innovative solutions, it was proof of Eswatini’s successful journey toward a more sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure.
