The Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA) has unveiled a major international partnership designed to accelerate the global green energy transition, linking institutions across Africa, Europe and the United States through a new South–North Renewable Energy Demonstration Living Labs Network.
The initiative marks a significant expansion of the Africa-Ireland Renewable Energy Demonstration Living Labs Programme (AI‑RELLP), originally funded by the Embassy of Ireland, and now scaled into a multi-regional collaboration connecting scientific research, community needs and market realities.
The network introduces virtual co-creation ecosystems—Living Laboratories—that allow researchers, industry partners and communities to jointly develop practical renewable energy solutions. These labs will operate across multiple physical sites, focusing on solar PV and wind resource assessment, hybrid power systems and smart microgrids, green hydrogen development, waste-to-energy technologies and biogas digesters. The aim is to fast-track innovation while ensuring solutions are grounded in local contexts and can meet real-world energy demands.
At the virtual launch, three South African academics showcased Living Labs already driving impact at their institutions. Dr Emmanuel Kweinor Tetteh of the Durban University of Technology presented DUT’s Energy Drive Living Lab, highlighting research in green hydrogen production, wastewater treatment and advanced renewable systems.
Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s Prof Atanda Kamoru Raji outlined CPUT’s hydrogen and biogas initiatives, drawing on more than 30 years of engineering expertise in smart grids, electric vehicles and AI-driven energy systems.
Prof David Tinarwo of the University of Venda showcased UNIVEN’s Rural Energy Living Lab, which focuses on solar PV, battery and hydrogen-fuel-cell microgrids and expanding energy access in underserved communities.
Dr Eric Maluta of the University of Venda traced the network’s evolution from a small partnership between South African, Namibian and Irish institutions into a global framework. “What began as a localised effort to share research data has now matured into an international platform backed by a sustainable, long-term roadmap for collaboration,” he said.
CPUT’s Prof Manimagalay Chetty emphasised the initiative’s community impact, noting that early webinars, workshops and joint research projects were deliberately designed to produce tangible benefits for local communities. She credited the Embassy of Ireland for providing the foundational support that enabled the network’s expansion.
With its focus on applied research, innovation, and community-centred energy solutions, THENSA’s new network positions African institutions as key contributors to the global green transition while strengthening South–North collaboration in renewable energy development.
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