Research And Development Of Clean Energy Technology Has Become A Priority
The world has finally realized the importance of creating clean energy technology that will remove the human carbon footprint that we have been leaving on the earth for the last few hundred years. Carbon emissions through oil refining, coal burning, deforestation, and the use of methane producing gases have sent our planet into a state of shock.

More industrialized countries have begun to actively deal with these worldwide problems on a corporate and global level. However, many countries lack the technological resources and the financial resources to tackle a problem of such magnitude in their own back yards. Many countries have banded together in an altruistic nature to provide aid to countries in the southern parts of Africa since they have been incapable to attack them on their own. 

Many new and exciting world wide conferences for clean renewable energy have been organized in Africa, and South Africa is leading the way with their newly created South African National Energy Research Institute (Saneri). In collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA), they are producing seminars and information sessions to be held in South Africa. 

The Fossil Fuel Foundation (FFF) and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient Partnership (REEEP) have combined their efforts to manage the conference.  These internationally organized programs are focusing on countries not a part of the G8: Brazil, Mexico, China, India and South Africa. 

It is necessary to include these five countries into the green movement, because not only with the advancements benefit the populations of these countries, but they have massive populations and their continued reliance on older pollution producing technologies will impact the world at large. 

The South African government has recently stepped outside their normal comfort zone and proclaimed their desire to join the rest of the world in green industrialization.  Even though many of the countries are not fully satisfied with some of the South Africans economic and political policies, they are willing to forego conflict in an effort to help everyone. The progress and informative discussions that are being held in the conference will be directly passed along by SANERI to the Minerals and Energy Council and the Science and Technology Council.

The workshops will last for three days and are only the beginning to a more intensive series of workshops. Projects for southern countries in Africa conducted by REEEP have already been started in Mozambique, Lesotho, South Africa, and Zambia.  REEEP has designated Saneri to manage many of their major projects and given them the authority to decide where the projects will be instituted.  Most of the renewable energy projects conducted by REEEP have already been researched and developed. They have also been designed so that they can be marketed in South Africa and surrounding countries. In 2008 alone, REEEP contributed over four million euros distributed among thirty five different projects across the region.  In summation, REEEP has made incredible progress in aiding South Africa in the development of renewable and clean energy.