Johannesburg - An agreement between the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the energy department will help South Africa become more energy efficient, Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said on Monday.
"This ... is an important milestone for us because it seals the cooperative engagement that we enjoy with the IEA," she told reporters at Eskom's Megawatt Park.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be signed later on Monday evening.
It will be critical in ensuring that South Africa is not left behind when it comes to "saving electricity in a hurry".
"Energy is the lifeblood of any economy, and economical development is highly dependable on the availability of energy resources."
She said the relationship with the IEA would be mutually beneficial. Details of the memorandum will only be known after it is signed.
Peters said, however, that it would help South Africa gain expertise from other countries, embodied in the IEA.
The MOU will cover renewable energy, data management and analysis, energy efficiency, clean technologies, and policy analysis.
IEA executive director Nobuo Tanaka said the organisation is trying to further engage with emerging economies like South Africa.
It is also in consultation with other countries such as China, India, Russia and Brazil.
Saving electricity in a hurry will ultimately help with the problem of climate change, Tanaka said.
Peters added that the relationship between the two "would become an important tool" for the department.
"Without energy, nothing can move," she said.
A three-day bilateral conference is under way at Megawatt Park. The IEA's visit to South Africa is to end on Wednesday.
"This ... is an important milestone for us because it seals the cooperative engagement that we enjoy with the IEA," she told reporters at Eskom's Megawatt Park.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be signed later on Monday evening.
It will be critical in ensuring that South Africa is not left behind when it comes to "saving electricity in a hurry".
"Energy is the lifeblood of any economy, and economical development is highly dependable on the availability of energy resources."
She said the relationship with the IEA would be mutually beneficial. Details of the memorandum will only be known after it is signed.
Peters said, however, that it would help South Africa gain expertise from other countries, embodied in the IEA.
The MOU will cover renewable energy, data management and analysis, energy efficiency, clean technologies, and policy analysis.
IEA executive director Nobuo Tanaka said the organisation is trying to further engage with emerging economies like South Africa.
It is also in consultation with other countries such as China, India, Russia and Brazil.
Saving electricity in a hurry will ultimately help with the problem of climate change, Tanaka said.
Peters added that the relationship between the two "would become an important tool" for the department.
"Without energy, nothing can move," she said.
A three-day bilateral conference is under way at Megawatt Park. The IEA's visit to South Africa is to end on Wednesday.