Dr Jiska de Groot
A team of UCT researchers has won a prestigious Newton Prize for its research into using renewable energy in off-grid informal settlements in South Africa.
The team, led by UCT’s Dr Jiska de Groot and Dr Federico Caprotti, of the University of Exeter in the UK, won the Chair’s Prize for their project which focuses on providing clean, safe and reliable energy to informal settlements. The team will now use the £500,000 (R10 million) award to provide workable solutions to address these challenges.
“Our project is trying to solve the global challenge of access to affordable and clean energy for all. Energy is an enabler of development. The lack of energy doesn’t just create health impacts, but also huge inequalities and opportunities for people to develop,” said Dr De Groot.