Enel Green Power South Africa

About Enel Green Power South Africa

Enel Green Power is the renewable energy arm of Enel, an Italian energy company. In South Africa it runs wind and solar plants in the Northern Cape, Western Cape, Limpopo and Free State. Reports put its local portfolio at about twelve plants. Most of them were built under the government's renewable energy procurement programme for independent power producers.

That programme asks winning bidders to invest in the communities around their plants. Enel reports spending roughly R4.5 billion on projects that share value with local people. Education is one of the main areas, and the bursary programme is its most visible form.

Renewable energy also creates its own demand for skills. Wind and solar plants need engineers, technicians, electricians, environmental specialists and finance staff. Although the bursary does not tie students to Enel, young people from these communities who study in those fields may find opportunities in the wider energy sector.

How Enel Green Power supports students

The company's research in its host communities showed a strong need for education support. It therefore set up bursaries for learners and students who live near its plants. The programme reaches high school pupils in Grades 8 to 11 as well as tertiary students.

School bursaries have covered fees, stationery, textbooks, uniforms and transport. Tertiary awards have covered registration, tuition, learning materials and meal and travel allowances. Accommodation is added where it applies. Students may study any field, because the fund is tied to place rather than to a subject. Some awards come through individual projects, such as the Garob Wind Farm.

Reports state that 177 bursaries had been awarded to students from various communities, and the number has probably grown since. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

What to know before applying

Where you live matters most. You need to come from one of the communities near an Enel Green Power site. Past criteria set a pass average of at least 65%. They also set a household income limit of R357 000 a year. Tertiary applicants had to hold a matric certificate and an offer from a university. These figures come from older announcements, so verify them in the current call.

The company is not recruiting graduates through this fund. No work-back obligation has been confirmed in the sources we reviewed. Students are free to follow their own careers after they graduate.

Opening and closing dates are not fixed and may differ from year to year. Therefore, check the official Enel Green Power South Africa page or your local municipality for notices. Prepare certified copies of your ID, academic results, proof of address and proof of household income before you apply.