Project Description

South Africa's renewable energy initiatives hold enormous promise — but do they make a significant impact to the communities hosting them? COM-PRES investigates how private renewable energy investments reduce inequality and promote social development, examining the relationships between communities, civil society, energy companies, and government.

Led by the University of Southern Denmark in partnership with the Centre for Social Development in Africa at University of Johannesburg and the Centre for Social Science Research at University of Cape Town, COM-PRES studies South Africa's flagship Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) — a world-leading model that mandates community ownership and social investment alongside energy generation. Since its launch in 2011, REIPPPP has delivered nearly ninety large-scale solar and wind projects, but the social outcomes have been uneven. 

COM-PRES broadly asks why — and what can be done differently. Working across four interconnected research strands, the project examines community preferences, the local politics of benefit distribution, and the conditions under which more inclusive and equitable models of engagement between communities and energy investors can take hold. Findings will feed directly into policy dialogue in South Africa and inform Denmark's ongoing support for a people-centred energy transition.

Facts

PERIOD: 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2029
COUNTRIES: South Africa
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Marianne Sandvad Ulriksen
TOTAL GRANT: 9,997,443 DKK
FOUNDED BY: Danida Fellowship Centre

Institutions

LEAD INSTITUTION:
University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Denmark

PARTNER INSTITUTIONS:
University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa
University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa