The vibrant African Energy Leadership Centre (AELC) at Wits Business School is setting the pace in energy research and dialogue in Africa. Following two successful energy symposia in 2024 and 2025, the AELC hosted its first academic conference in November: the Conference for Academic Researchers in the Energy Sector (CARES) 2025. 

The day-long conference, organised by Dr Goitsione Olifant of the AELC, brought together researchers, postgraduate students, and practitioners to explore the intersections of technology, policy, socioeconomics, and the environment within the context of the just energy transition (JET).

The AELC is playing an increasingly pivotal role shaping the future of energy in Africa by providing regular opportunities for stakeholders across the energy value chain to engage in public dialogue.  This is against the backdrop of significant challenges in the energy sector, locally and globally, including climate change, rapid technological advancement, shifting geopolitical dynamics, evolving societal expectations, and the transition towards a low-carbon environment. 

In navigating these multi-pronged challenges, academic researchers have an important role to play in shaping the future of energy. The CARES conference, anchored on the theme “Futures in Energy”, highlighted evidence-based policy insights, technological innovation and research that can inform an equitable and sustainable transition. It was a unique opportunity for scholars from various parts of South Africa and the rest of the continent to present their papers towards understanding the intersections of technology, policy, socio-economy, and the environment within the context of the JET.

Best paper was awarded to Mogale Diagile Modisane, a Master of Management in Energy Leadership alumnus from WBS for his paper titled A success index for public private partnership programmes’ success in the electricity generation sector of South Africa.

The runner-up was Carol Nqobile Gumbi for her paper Harmonizing Tariffs for a Just Energy Transition in Southern Africa.