The Energy Secretariat further monitors the implementation of the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI)
Plan, which is part of department’s Decadal Plan. The STI considers and builds on the HySA Strategy, Energy
Storage RDI, Solar Energy Technology Roadmap, CoalCO2 to X RDI Roadmap, and the Hydrogen Society Roadmap
(HSRM). It also monitors the implementation of innovation policies specific to the energy landscape by way
of the four flagships.
Large scale deployments in partnership with public, private and academia supportive of the Presidential
District Development Model (PDDM) are similarly monitored. For example, the hydrogen Platinum Valley, clean
energy deployments in partnership with local and district municipalities, along with other government
departments.
It also coordinates training of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and University of
Technology (UoT) graduates, focusing on emerging technologies for example fuel cells, batteries, and
renewables technologies take centre stage. These initiatives are done in partnership with the Department of
Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Energy Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA).
During the 2018/19 financial year, the NRF review of the Renewable Energy Hub and Spokes was conducted. As
part of the management of the Renewable Energy Hub and Spokes Programme, the NRF undertook an independent
review to assess the successful implementation of the programme and put in place corrective measures prior
to the programme receiving the next phase of funding support.
The outcomes of the NRF review were presented to the DSI. One of the action items from an EXCO meeting
included an analysis of how the recommendations of the study could be applied across the broader Energy
Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Flagship Programmes, resident within the Department of Science
and Innovation (DSI) to improve overall performance.
The Ten Year Innovation Plan included an Energy Grand Challenge which focused on advancement towards a
knowledge-based economy, using the four elements of increased knowledge generation and exploitation, human
capital development, knowledge infrastructure, and enablers to addressing the “innovation chasm” to address
the energy trilemma (energy access, environmental sustainability, energy security).
With regard to knowledge generation, South Africa ranks 38th worldwide in the generation of energy
publications. However, a different perspective unfolds if one also considers the size of the Research and
Development (R&D) workforce. South Africa has higher levels of productivity when compared to the USA (3.28
per 100 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) research workforce; with Japan at 2.99 and 5.75 for the energy component
of the National System of Innovation. However, when it comes to the movement of technologies from lab to
market by overcoming the innovation chasm, there are challenges in the system such that the conversion into
commercial products happens at a rate lower than global averages .
