Muhammad Essop is the Acting Director – Reporting and Sector Monitoring at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in Pretoria. Muhammad has a passion around environmental management and environmental Law, and has 13 years of experience around Environmental Impact Assessment and for the past 10 years, he has been dealing with Strategic Infrastructure Projects, specifically in the renewable energy sector.

His main focus is to co-ordinate, review and decide on applications for Environmental Authorisations related to the Renewable Energy Sector applications. He has played a huge role in the way the Department processes applications for environmental authorisation around the renewable energy sector. He engages with the industry players such as SAWEA and SAPVIA, as well as the various NGO’s, and provides technical and legal input into the way the Department reviews these applications. He also co-ordinates and maintains working relationships between external stakeholders and the Department related to renewable energy.

Sbu Ntshalintshali is responsible for the development of energy industry in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. His portfolio includes managing the transformational policies, providing strategic direction, strategic partnerships with local and international investors, procurement of new generation capacity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and implementing transformational energy infrastructure projects ranging from power generation, transport fuels and hydrogen economy.

Sbu has an overall experience of more than 13 years working in the corporate environment and public sector. Prior to joining eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, Sbu worked for The Dow Chemical Company for 5 years and gained extensive experience of research & development, chemical process design, plant operations and utilities management.

He holds Degree in Chemical Engineering, Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management and MBA.

Lance Blaine is Managing Director of Red Cap Energy a 100% South African owned and managed company that has been developing renewable energy businesses and projects since before the start of the REIPPPP. Lance has been in the South African renewables industry with Red Cap Energy since 2010 and has been intricately involved in the development of 2 wind farms that are operational as well as numerous other potential projects. He is a registered Professional Engineer and he holds a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering and an M. Phil. in Environmental Science (both from the University of Cape Town).

Alan is an Executive Director with CES based in East London with extensive experience in both environmental science disciplines and financial accounting with international accounting firms in South Africa and the USA for over 10 years and with CES for over 20 years. He has a wide range of experience in environmental management and has experience in renewable energy, infrastructure, industrial processes, aquaculture, biofuels, sanitation, coastal environments, waste management, climate change, environmental and social auditing and due diligence, and project financial feasibility assessments. Alan has managed numerous renewable energy EIAs throughout South Africa and Africa over the past 15 years including over 40 wind farms and solar energy facilities.

Alan holds a PhD in Marine Ecology and BCom Honours in financial accounting and auditing. He is SACNASP and EAPASA registered and is a Certified Public Accountant (licenced in Texas, USA).