This project builds on SEA’s extensive years of sustainable energy development support to cities and well-developed city networks, in order to support South African cities in their transition to clean energy development and reduced carbon footprints, including efficiency, renewable energy deployment and energy poverty alleviation.

We do this through:

• Capacity building and training
• Tool, materials and guides
• Technical support
• Project and institutional development support
• Exchange links
• Engagement with national policy development

Information and training is available to all cities and towns across South Africa. Capacity building workshops and networking exchange is limited to a group of fifteen or so cities and towns based on current engagement in city energy and climate change strategy implementation; while the direct services of technical and facilitation support will be limited to partner cities, engaged through Memoranda of Understanding. These partner cities include the metros and a small representation of smaller cities. CESU has active partnerships with the following cities: Cape Town, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay, eThekwini, Sol Plaatje and Tlokwe.

The CESU project began in August of 2008 and is scheduled to close in March of 2011. A steering committee supports intra-government communication and city efforts. A key output of this phase of the project will be to explore the ongoing sustainability and location of the unit beyond the first project phase.

The project is funded by the British High Commission, with co-funding and in-kind support from Danida and partner cities.

For more information on this project, please visit the City Energy Support Unit Website