Partnerships & Funded Programmes

These are the JET Group's named, funded programmes — large-scale collaborations with industry, government, and research councils that anchor our work and define our impact. Each programme has dedicated funding, postgraduate researchers, and measurable real-world outputs.

Funded Research Chairs

SARChI Chair in Power System Modelling

SASOL · NRF/DSI · since 2023

Funded by SASOL through the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI), this chair focuses on advanced modelling of power systems to support South Africa's energy transition. Research outputs inform national grid planning, improve renewable integration, and build postgraduate capacity in power engineering.

Grid stability and renewable dispatch modelling
Postgraduate training at Masters and PhD level
Policy-relevant grid planning outputs for DMRE and Eskom

Chair in Energy Efficiency

EXXARO Resources · since 2015

Supported by EXXARO Resources, this research chair drives innovation in industrial and municipal energy efficiency. Projects span demand-side management, energy auditing methodologies, and technologies that reduce consumption and carbon footprint across South Africa's mining and industrial sectors.

Industrial DSM strategies for mining and heavy industry
Energy auditing tools and national benchmarking datasets
Carbon footprint reduction roadmaps for EXXARO operations

Chair in Electrical Engineering

Rand Water · since 2019

In partnership with Rand Water — one of South Africa's largest electricity consumers — this chair addresses electrical engineering challenges in water utilities. Research covers pump efficiency optimisation, energy recovery systems, and smart monitoring to reduce the energy intensity of water supply infrastructure.

Pump optimisation models deployed across Rand Water facilities
Energy intensity reduction in large-scale water treatment
Smart monitoring systems for pumping stations

SARChI Chair in Just Energy Transition

NRF / DSI · University of Pretoria

Hosted at the University of Pretoria and funded through SARChI, this chair guides South Africa's decarbonisation pathway while advancing equitable energy access. Research spans the policy, social, and technical dimensions of transitioning away from fossil fuels in a manner that is fair, inclusive, and economically sound for all communities.

Just transition frameworks for coal-dependent communities
Energy poverty and equity impact assessments
Policy submissions to DMRE and the Presidential Climate Commission

SARChI Chair in Advanced Materials and Sustainable Energy

NRF / DSI · University of Pretoria

Led by Prof Henrietta Langmi (Department of Chemistry, UP), this SARChI Chair focuses on green hydrogen, CO₂ capture and utilisation, and green chemistry. Research involves the synthesis of porous materials — including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), zeolites, and carbon-based materials — for energy applications, with emphasis on sustainable production and waste valorisation.

Novel MOF and zeolite materials for hydrogen storage
CO₂ capture and utilisation pathways for industrial application
Waste valorisation routes for porous material synthesis

Industry Programmes

SANEDI Energy Efficiency & DSM Hub

SANEDI · since 2010

Established in 2010, the SANEDI Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management Hub is one of UP's longest-running industry partnerships. The Hub accelerates energy-efficient solutions across municipalities, utilities, and industry through R&D, platform development, and stakeholder engagement.

AssetCloud platform: electrical asset health assessment for 20+ municipalities
Rooftop solar PV uptake modelling and virtual power plant frameworks
IoT-based demand monitoring and DSM strategy development
Energy economics forecasting models for national policy

AI for South Africa's Energy Future

Eskom & SANEDI · University of Pretoria

A flagship collaboration between UP, Eskom, and SANEDI applying artificial intelligence to transform South Africa's energy sector. Research leverages machine learning and data analytics to improve grid reliability, optimise energy dispatch, and accelerate the country's transition to a smarter, more resilient energy system.

Machine learning models for short- and long-term demand forecasting
Digital twin development for Eskom infrastructure under the EPEP programme
AI-driven smart asset management and predictive maintenance tools

ESKOM EPEP Smart Asset Management

Eskom · Electric Power Engineering Programme

Through the Electric Power Engineering Programme (EPEP), UP collaborates with Eskom to modernise South Africa's largest energy utility. The programme focuses on digital transformation of electrical infrastructure, combining digital twinning, advanced analytics, and enhanced cybersecurity to improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs.

Digital twins of Eskom substation and transmission assets
Predictive maintenance scheduling reducing unplanned outages
Secure energy data management and transaction integrity frameworks

Green Hydrogen & Clean Fuels

Green Hydrogen Research & Skills Development

Bambili Energy · DSI · EWSETA

This programme positions UP at the forefront of South Africa's emerging hydrogen economy. In collaboration with Bambili Energy, DSI, and EWSETA, we develop clean hydrogen production pathways, build national technical capacity through TVET training, and deploy advanced monitoring systems for fuel cell infrastructure.

QCTO-accredited hydrogen fuel cell technician training for TVET colleges
National train-the-trainer rollout across 6 provinces
Turquoise and green hydrogen production pathway evaluation
Fuel cell condition monitoring systems using ML and IoT sensors