Sustainable Energy

The United Nations Environment Programme has Sustainable Development Goal 7, which is communicated as energy access for all by 2030. A summary of a chapter on sustainable energy from the SA Foresight Exercise for STI 2030 opens the scope for the chapter. Several types of sustainable energy are discussed with a special focus on solar and wind due to their different relevance to Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic and climate change impact on sustainable energy rollout towards equal access for all is presented. The updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 is presented to show the 2030 energy mix of South Africa. Elements critical for sustainable technologies are presented. The energy innovation system showed people, catalysts and the innovation process as key elements with four primary challenges of regulatory risk, financing, enabling infrastructure and market access, plus the social and cultural. All this leads to the future of society.