Page 138 - UKZN Proceedings of the Conference Report

communities. For instance, in India the government has introduced financial schemes like Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) to support solar energy deployment in rural areas (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy 2021). Capacity building and training programmes are also crucial for equipping individuals with the technical skills needed to install, operate, and maintain RET systems, especially in developing countries. Moreover, clear policy support and regulatory frameworks are essential for fostering investment and innovation in renewable energy.
Statement on data availability: The data presented in this paper is available on request from the author.
funding: This research received no external funding. declaration of interest: The author declares no conflicts
of interest.
author’s contribution: The author was solely responsible for the conceptualisation, research design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the findings. The author also wrote, revised, and finalized the manuscript.
references
A.T. Energy Transition Institute. 2018. Energy Transition: Addressing Global Energy Access Challenges. Oxfordshire: A.T. Energy Transition Institute.
African Union Development Agency. 2024. Energy and Human Development: A Post-COVID-19 Perspective. Johannesburg: African Union Development Agency.
Bhattacharyya, S.C. 2018. Mini-grids for Rural Electrification of Developing Countries: Analysis and Case Studies from South Asia. Hong Kong: Springer.
Blimpo, M.P. and Cosgrove-Davies, M. 2019. Electricity Access in Sub-Saharan Africa: Uptake, Reliability, and Complementary Factors for Economic Impact. Herndon, VA: World Bank Publications.
Dutta, S. 2019. Solar energy education and entrepreneurship: Lessons from India. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 101, pp. 276-285.
Eberhard, A. and Naude, R. 2016. The South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme: A review and lessons learned. Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, 27 (4), pp. 1-14.
Fagerberg, J., Srholec, M. and Verspagen, B. 2010. Innovation and economic development. In Hall, B.H. and Rosenberg, N. eds. Handbook of the Economics of Innovation. Amsterdam: North-Holland. Vol. 2, pp. 833-872.
Frain, J., 2025. Critical Appraisal. ABC of Evidence-Based Healthcare, p.57.
Government of Rwanda. 2021. Energy Sector Strategic Plan 2021–2025. Kigali: Ministry of Infrastructure, Rwanda.
Green, J. 2018. Off-grid solar energy systems in Rwanda: A pathway to sustainable development. Energy Policy, 112, pp. 523-533.
Green, M.A., Dunlop, E.D., Hohl‐Ebinger, J., Yoshita, M. and Kopidakis, N. 2019. Solar cell efficiency tables (version 54). Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 27 (7), pp. 565-575.
Gribler, F. 2012. Energy transitions and policy interventions: A comprehensive study. Journal of Energy Policy, 34 (2), pp. 45-67.
Grimshaw, D. and Lewis, G. 2020. Renewable energy and development: The role of community engagement. Energy Policy, 138, p. 111205.
Huff, A. 2013. Governmentality and environmental sustainability: A critical review. Environmental Governance Journal, 19 (1), pp. 33-47.
International Energy Agency. 2021. Renewables 2021: Analysis and Forecast to 2026. Available: https://www.iea. org/reports/renewables-2021 [Accessed: 9 September 2024].
International Energy Agency. 2022. Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report. Available: https://www.iea. org/reports/energy-progress-report-2022 [Accessed: 9 September 2024].
International Renewable Energy Agency. 2016. Renewable Energy Market Analysis: Latin America. Abu Dhabi: IRENA.
International Renewable Energy Agency. 2020. Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2020. Abu Dhabi: IRENA.
International Renewable Energy Agency. 2021a. Renewable Energy and Post-COVID Recovery: A Global Perspective. Abu Dhabi: IRENA.
International Renewable Energy Agency. 2021b. World Energy Transitions Outlook 2021. Abu Dhabi: IRENA.
International Renewable Energy Agency. 2022. The Role of Renewable Energy Technology in Achieving SDG 7. Abu Dhabi: IRENA.
Kariuki, J.K., Wanjohi, J.K. and Kemei, R.K. 2020. Community participation and the sustainability of solar mini-grids in Kenya. Energy for Sustainable Development, 58, pp. 55-62.
Moneyi, M.L., Ngui, M.A. and Mbuli, B.K. 2019. Capacity building in renewable energy: Case studies from sub- Saharan Africa. Energy, Sustainability and Society, 9 (1), pp. 1-10.
Murshed, M. and Ozturk, I., 2023. Rethinking energy poverty reduction through improving electricity accessibility: A regional analysis on selected African nations. Energy, 267, p.126547.
Nasirov, S., Gilbraith, N. and Clark, M. 2021. Renewable
136
| Proceedings of the conference on Public innovation, develoPment and sustainability