The Energy Council of South Africa (ECSA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with energy modelling and simulation software firm, Energy Exemplar.
The move is said to underpin ECSA’s recent launch of the Energy Data & Modelling South Africa (EDMSA) platform, which aims to create an open engagement platform for energy system data and modelling.
The MoU was signed by James Mackay, ECSA’s chief executive, and Stuart Kelly, chief revenue officer of Energy Exemplar.
In light of the pressing challenges in South Africa’s energy transition, ECSA has warned of significant local capacity gaps, particularly in system modelling.
“This can largely be attributed to a lack of technical capacity but also due to costly modelling and data platforms, limited collaborations, and opaque data sharing practices,” the council says.
These issues are said to be particularly concerning as the country faces complex decisions in its shift towards renewable energy.
The newly launched EDMSA platform, developed together with Energy Exemplar using the latter’s PLEXOS software, is said to be an innovative and collaborative approach to addressing these challenges. This cloud-based, multi-stakeholder platform is expected to enhance national capacity building, foster collaboration, and promote transparency in data sourcing and sharing among key energy players.
Mackay said: “In this crucial time of accelerating the energy transition, it is vital that our decisions are informed by transparent, reliable, and accessible data. This collaboration with Energy Exemplar will enable us to achieve just that by using their world-class PLEXOS software as our platform of choice.
“Our goal is to ensure that all energy stakeholders in South Africa have access to the best data and models to guide our nation towards a sustainable, secure, and affordable energy future.”
The collaboration will focus on several key objectives:
- Facilitating collaboration across energy stakeholders: EDMSA will serve as a multi-stakeholder platform, bringing together academia, finance and investment, public and private sectors to create a unified approach to energy data and modelling
- Promoting transparency: The platform will offer open access with an objective of framing a more constructive and informed debate in support of our national energy planning and policy objectives
- Addressing expertise shortages: By facilitating more and better energy planning through more skilled professionals, the platform will not only accelerate the energy transition but will also contribute to making energy more affordable and accessible for all South Africans
David Wilson, Energy Exemplar’s chief executive, said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Energy Council of South Africa on this important initiative. Our PLEXOS platform, already widely used in South Africa, will play a crucial role in achieving decarbonisation goals by providing robust energy simulations. Together, we can support South Africa’s journey towards a sustainable energy future and educating the market is a key step in this.”
As part of the MoU, Energy Exemplar will provide advanced modelling services to restructure and optimise the existing energy datasets, allowing for alternative input assumptions and scenario analysis.
The initial phase will include a live platform and a trial for selected members of the council to demonstrate the capabilities of the PLEXOS suite in real-time energy planning and forecasting. The project is the first of its kind, and a pivotal step towards democratising energy planning.
Image credit: metamorworks/Shutterstock
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