SA expert among speakers at International Renewable Energy conference

SOUTH African renewable energy expert Chanda Nxumalo will be among key speakers at the 3rd edition of the International Renewable Energy Conference set for March 22 to 25 in Victoria Falls.

The conference will be hosted by The Standard in partnership with the Energy and Power Development ministry under the theme The New Frontier: Net Zero Africa.

Zimbabwe has endorsed the adoption of renewable energy and Alpha Media Holdings has taken a leading role in facilitating the processes that the country could follow in its quest for clean energy by 2030.

The conference will bring together various experts, authorities and financiers for discussion to chart the way for the 2030 clean energy goal that has been set by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Chanda is a director in Harmattan Renewables, a consultancy focused on providing technical, commercial and environmental advisory services as well as asset management for renewable energy projects across sub-Saharan Africa.

She is the vice-chairperson of South African PV Association, a not-for-profit body devoted to promoting the growth of the country’s solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity market and contributing to the country’s renewable energy roll out.

Chanda is an engineer with 13 years’ experience in the renewable energy and power sector.

She has extensive experience working in technical, business development and executive capacities in African, American and European markets.

She also has a good track record of identifying and successfully converting new business opportunities in both developed and emerging markets.

Chanda has supported financial closure for a 150-megawatt (MW) wind farm in Senegal and served as transaction advisor on 375MW solar PV projects and a 100MW wind project for Old Mutual Investment Group.

She has also assisted in the development, negotiation and review of EPC and O&M contractual arrangements for wind and solar projects.

She also provides investor due diligence and market entry support.

Chanda holds a Masters in Engineering, Economics and Management from the University of Oxford.

She also has undergraduate degrees in French and International Politics and Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. She is fluent in English, French, German and Portuguese.-newsday