This type of activity was part of the RECP start-up phase and is now being offered under the Service Line SEADS.

In October 2012, representatives of the wind energy industry of Southern Africa and beyond have gathered at the WINDaba in Cape Town. The annual conference, jointly organised by the SAWEA (South African Wind Energy Association) and the GWEC (Global Energy Wind Council), was titled “SA GigaWatts into action” reflecting on the 1,000 MW of wind power currently under construction in South Africa.

The EUEI PDF, under the RECP, together with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) organised a business roundtable discussion on the “Localisation of the Renewable Energy Value Chain” in order to draw on the lessons learnt from the South African renewable energy industry and transfer these into the discussion on policy objectives that may be set elsewhere for “local content” and local value addition in the renewables sector.

For EUEI PDF, the discussion served as a basis for further country and thematic support in 2013 on the question of how countries can benefit locally from the development of their renewable energy markets, creating business opportunities, employment, and green growth.