Project website

The objective of the project is to develop implementation strategies to enhance access to affordable energy services for poor communities in South Africa.

The key barriers that inhibit such access are lack of knowledge on energy needs and energy supply options, weak infrastructure for delivering energy services, and lack of integration of energy interventions.

APPLES addresses these barriers by researching the energy needs of poor communities, undertaking capacity building activities and identifying best-practices that can be adapted to the South African context.

Furthermore, APPLES supports the efforts of the Government of South Africa to improve the infrastructure to deliver energy services to the poor, in particular the implementation of Integrated energy Centres (IeCs).

APPLES is implemented by a consortium of European and South African partners: Energy Research Centre (ECN), Energy Research Centre, Parallax, Risoe National Laboratory through URC, and Environmental Change Institute.

APPLES is funded by the European Commission under the COOPENER programme, the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Minerals and Energy of South Africa, DANIDA and the Dutch Government.