SEA provides capacity building support to governments, civil society and communities, to strengthen their sustainable energy work.

SEA holds various training events on sustainable energy, sustainable development and sustainable design. These events include the identification of needs, programme and learning process development as well as material development. We also facilitate and deliver courses ranging from 2 – 6 days as well as provide inputs to seminars, conferences and training programmes of other organisation. We aim to incorporate training, awareness and skills transfer into our projects that focus on implementation and policy development through our capacity building approach. Our primary capacity building programme is SEED (Sustainable Energy, Environment and Development).

Sustainable Energy, Environment and Development Programme (SEED)

The Sustainable Energy for Environment and Development (SEED) Programme promotes the integration of sustainable energy approaches and practices into urban development in South Africa. The Programme develops partnerships with national and local government and with NGOs. It builds capacity in these organisations, in part by cooperatively placing and supporting SEED Advisors in the partner organisations. SEED provides training and supports information campaigns, demonstrations and implementation. At a national and international level SEED supports exchange of experience, networking and policy development.

The SEED Programme is now in its 5th year of Phase 2. The programme is proceeding extremely well. We continue to run training sessions (eg “Getting to grips with City Energy Data”), information awareness activities such as promoting sustainable energy as a career option for Grade 11 & 12s and network meetings where SEED Advisors or similar share information, reflect on their strategy and work and learn new things. We also send out e-SEED newsletters informing city energy stakeholders on what is happening in the partner cities and the context in which we operate. The highlights of the programme in the past 6 months include: running the Masters level “Sustainable Energy Planning for Cities” course with the Sustainability Institute at Stellenbosch University for 33 students, expanding the number of partner towns/cities we support (the group now consists of Ekurhuleni, City of Cape Town, Tshwane, Manguang, Sol Plaatje and Potchefstroom) and supporting Tshwane to successfully integrate their energy work into the city structures. We have also been supporting the South African Cities Network with setting up their Sustainable Cities Reference Group.

Materials Development

In 2002, the SEA published a book entitled The Energy Book for Urban Development . The book is a practical handbook for professionals, development workers, community organizers, energy activists and all people striving for sustainable urban development. In 2003 Sustainable Energy Africa published Energising SA Cities and Towns as part of its City Energy Strategies Programme and as support material for a major conference which SEA cohosted. Sustainable Energy Africa managed the production as well as the distribution of these two titles. We have also developed posters, pamphlets and CD’s and course packs relevant to our courses. See the downloads section for more information.

City Energy Strategies Conference

SEA proposed and raised the funds for the City Energy Strategies Conference which took place from 19 to 21 November 2003 at the Cape Town Convention Centre. It was mainly funded by Danida and was co-hosted by SEA, South African Cities Network and CCT, in association with ICLEI and SALGA. The conference was endorsed by United Nations Environment Programme. The conference was extremely successful with 48 SA local authorities attending. For more information go to the conference website.

Sustainable Energy Planning for Cities Course

Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) in collaboration with The Sustainability Institute (University of Stellenbosch) designed and hosted a successful, dynamic and intensive 6-day accredited course on ‘Sustainable Energy Planning for Cities’ spanning the 14th to 19th March 2005. The course attracted a broad range of national and international participants, involved in work embracing energy, planning, environmental issues and sustainable development.

The essence of the course was to highlight the need to incorporate energy in a co-ordinated and strategic manner into integrated sustainable city development planning, taking into consideration the critical role of energy in economic development, social and human development and environment sustainability.