DLO Energy Resources Group, an independent power producer (IPP) wholly owned by black women, is taking a 30% stake in the Longyuan Mulilo wind farms. These facilities inject 244 MW of clean electricity into South Africa's national grid.
In South Africa, women will play an active role in the energy transition. This is partly thanks to DLO Energy Resources Group, an independent power producer (IPP) wholly owned by black women, who are beginning to make their mark on the energy scene in the rainbow nation. The company, led by businesswoman Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, is taking a 30% stake in the Longyuan Mulilo wind farms in the Northern Cape province.
Operational since 2017, the 244 MW complex comprises 163 turbines whose output is fed into South Africa’s national electricity grid. By producing this low-carbon energy, the complex avoids the emission of 690,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2) per year. In addition to DLO Energy, the complex is also owned by China Longyuan Power Group, a global wind energy giant, Mulilo Renewable Energy, and the local community trust.
The situation in South Africa
For Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, this 30% stake in the Longyuan Mulilo wind farms highlights the role of women in the energy transition in South Africa. “The renewable energy sector still has a long way to go when it comes to the transformation and representation of women, particularly when it comes to ownership and operational involvement”, says the Managing Director of DLO Energy.
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Globally, 32% of the workforce in the renewable energy sector are women, a gender balance slightly closer than in the fossil fuel sector, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The situation is similar in South Africa, where women account for just 31% of employees at the state-owned electricity company Eskom and 21% of the workforce in the coal sector.
Involving women in the energy transition
The under-representation of women is even worse in the renewable energy sector in South Africa, where they account for just 14% of employees, according to the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) in Potsdam, Germany. With this in mind, Linda Mabhena-Olagunju is implementing initiatives to get women more involved in the development of renewable energies in South Africa.
On 15 August 2023, Linda Mabhena-Olagunju organised the DLO African Women in Leadership Summit in Sandton, a suburb of Johannesburg. The aim is “to share the knowledge and experience we have accumulated over the years and to use our platform to enable other women entrepreneurs to access the renewable energy market, by helping them to identify opportunities”, explains the entrepreneur.
Jean Marie Takouleu
