Robert Aitken..MD Restio Energy

Robert joined RESTIO Energy (then called RAPS Consulting) in mid 2001 and was appointed a director in January 2005. He has been involved in the energy sector for over 10 years, starting with his involvement with the ‘Social Determinants of Energy Use’ project (1995-1998), one of the principle South African energy studies that remain influential today. Since joining RESTIO Energy, Robert has been active in the energy sector, having been involved in a range of consultancy and implementation assignments, including issues relating to household energy consumption, improved access to modern energy supplies, mini-grid design and feasibility studies, off-grid feasibility studies, rural energy distribution models, the setting up of an off-grid utility (Nuon-RAPS Utility – NuRa). For the past few years Robert has been closely involved with productive uses of energy, having participated in a number of consulting missions and projects looking at ways to promote income generating opportunities through access to modern energy. These includes an analyses of productive use opportunities in Tanzania and Zambia using a economic sector approach, assisting with the development of the original Productive Use Container (PUC) exhibited at the WSSD in 2002, providing consulting services for the development of productive use activities in Mozambique and Lesotho, and designing and managing the implementation of 6 productive use containers in KwaZulu-Natal.

Prior to joining RESTIO Energy, Robert worked at the University of Natal as a researcher and later senior researcher on a number of energy related studies. He was also an independent consultant and lectured for a brief period at the institution. Robert has published a number of journal and news media articles.