What Is COM‑PRES?
Communities and the Private Renewable Energy Sector: Distributing Social Development Benefits in South Africa (COM-PRES) is a 4½-year interdisciplinary research initiative launched in 2025. It is led by Dr Marianne S. Ulriksen from the University of Southern Denmark, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Social Development in Africa and the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Social Science Research.
The goal is to evaluate whether the social development benefits tied to private renewable energy investments, especially those mandated under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), are truly reaching communities, reducing inequality, and fostering development.
COM-PRES is structured around four core research components:
- Policy and Stakeholder Analysis: Examines national policies and the roles of stakeholders in aligning renewable energy with social development goals.
- Community-Level Engagements: Uses surveys and participatory tools to assess community needs and preferences in areas hosting renewable energy projects.
- Municipal Political Economy Studies: Explores how decisions about benefit sharing are negotiated and implemented at the local government level.
- Participatory Action Research: Involves community members directly in designing improved models for engagement and benefit distribution.
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Linking Renewables to Social Justice
South Africa’s energy transition, particularly through private sector-led renewable energy projects, is expected not only to cut emissions but also to address urgent social issues, like poverty, job creation, and inequality. However, early experiences show mixed outcomes. While projects are bringing energy and investment, communities often feel excluded or inadequately compensated for the disruptions and land use changes they experience.
COM-PRES aims to bridge this gap by producing detailed evidence and designing new approaches to ensure that communities are genuine beneficiaries, not just bystanders of renewable energy development.
Launch & Funding
- Launch Date: 31 July 2025
- Project Duration: April 2025 – September 2029
- Funding: Approximately DKK 10 million (about R 28 million), supported by Denmark’s Danida Fellowship Centre
Expected Outcomes and Impact
COM-PRES is expected to deliver:
- Grounded case studies from affected communities to understand how existing community benefit models (like trusts) are functioning.
- New theoretical frameworks for public-private-community partnerships in energy transitions.
- Policy tools and best practices that can guide government, industry, and civil society in creating more equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms.
- Capacity building through the involvement of PhD and master’s students, as well as training local researchers in fieldwork and engagement.
The project also seeks to influence South Africa’s broader energy transition framework, contributing evidence that could shape the next generation of energy policies.
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COM-PRES aligns closely with:
- REIPPPP: South Africa’s flagship program for attracting private investment into renewable energy, which requires developers to create community ownership and development plans.
- The Climate Change Act (2024): Recently passed legislation emphasizing a just and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy.
- The Renewable Energy Masterplan: A long-term industrial policy aimed at expanding renewable energy in a way that supports inclusive economic growth and job creation.
This alignment ensures that COM-PRES is not a theoretical exercise but a live experiment within ongoing national energy reforms.
