South Africa to host 8th RD20 clean energy conference

The 8th RD20 Conference is scheduled to take place from October 19 to 23, 2026, in Pretoria, South Africa. Hosted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and co-organized by Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), this marks the first time the RD20 conference will be held on the African continent.

RD20, an international initiative launched by Japan in 2019, aims to promote global R&D cooperation for clean energy technologies and carbon neutrality. The event brings together leading research institutions from G20 countries and regions to share knowledge and strengthen partnerships between industry, academia, and government.

Under the theme ‘Accelerating Clean Energy Innovation: From Africa to the World,’ the conference will focus on clean energy technologies with a specific emphasis on African contexts. The program includes workshops on artificial intelligence for energy, technical sessions on hydrogen, smart grids, energy transition, and synthetic fuels, as well as discussions on critical minerals for energy.