BTE Renewables has announced the appointment of Rosalind Kainyah MBE to its executive board. With 30 years of international, senior management, executive and board level exposure, Kainyah’s extensive experience in Sustainability, Corporate and Environmental Law, Government Relations, and Political Risk Management, add gravitas to this appointment.
“Rosalind offers unique and strategic insights, which we will draw on to assist our business as we expand our portfolio of renewable energy power producing projects both within South Africa and the broader African continent, and thereby help transition towards a sustainable future,” commented Robert Skjodt, CEO of BTE Renewables.
In sharing her views on the role of renewable energy in relation to development and her experience in this sector, Kainyah, elucidates the multitude of environmental, economic, and social benefits for the hundreds of people on the African continent who aren’t yet able to access reliable energy.
“At the macro scale, global demand for energy continues to rise and millions of people lack access to modern energy services. Sub-Saharan Africa remains largely without dependable access to power, and considering the rapid population growth on the continent, this means that the current estimates of 600million is likely to increase without immediate action,” said Rosalind Kainyah MBE, newly appointed BTE Non-Executive Board Member.
At the same time, climate change means that new ways to meet the energy shortage should be addressed by renewable energy, as the best option for a sustainable future, to limit global warming.
“By providing millions of people with clean electrical power, we can tackle several global and national development challenges, contributing not only to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 – ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all – but also a host of other SDGs such as improved education quality, poverty alleviation, better health, more sustainable cities and communities, and the creation of decent jobs,” added Kainyah.
She sees the benefit of developing host communities, as renewable energy projects increasingly become a part of local landscapes, encouraging deliberate business strategies that support the development of communities.
“By aligning business objectives with the needs and aspirations of local communities, renewable energy projects can create shared value for the business, for host communities, and for society at large. Therefore, renewable energy provides developmental benefits that span across global, national, and local scales,” concluded Rainyah.
