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“Affordable Energy Bills in a Volatile World” – Key Takeaways and Reflections on a Parliamentary Roundtable Discussion from an Early-career Researcher
28 July 2026
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is honoured to announce that South Africa will host the 8th RD20 (Research and Development 20 for Clean Energy Technologies)
Conference in 2026, marking the first time the global conference will be held on the African continent.
UKERC is the UK’s representative at RD20, acting as a focal point for UK energy research and a gateway between the UK and the international energy research communities.
Held from October 19-23 2026, under the theme ‘Accelerating clean energy innovation: From Africa to the world’, the conference will bring together leading researchers, policy thinkers, industry experts and innovation partners to advance global collaboration in clean energy technologies.
The Conference will also hold a number of virtual sessions throughout, as well as in-person plenaries in South Africa. Find out more about the event and sign up.
The RD20 Conference is a key international platform aimed at strengthening research and development for clean energy technologies and supporting efforts towards a carbon-neutral
society. Hosting the event in South Africa provides an important opportunity to bring African perspectives, capabilities and priorities more strongly into global clean energy research and
innovation discussions, while showcasing the continent’s contribution to an inclusive and sustainable energy transition.
The conference will feature high-level technical sessions, expert-led workshops and strategic discussions focused on shared research priorities, knowledge exchange and capacity building
in clean energy technologies. Key technical focus areas will include technical sessions on:
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the conference, visit the CSIR exhibition and engage with CSIR and participating experts on clean energy technologies, Africa’s energy
transition and the role of research and innovation in addressing energy security and sustainability.