Aradhna Pandarum is currently the Acting Research Group Leader for Energy Industry team in the Energy Centre of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from Howard College UKZN and a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (Renewable Energy) from University of Witwatersrand. She serves as a technical board member of Cigre South Africa, representing the country in the international C6 study committee on active distribution systems and distributed energy resources. She is also registered as a Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). She is an international technical expert on energy economics and power system analysis of renewable energy. Whilst working at Eskom, she has gained immense experience in research, testing, and development, that was predominantly centred on embedded generation and its’ technical, economic, operational, and environmental impact.
At the CSIR, Aradhna is the portfolio manager and acting group leader for all research work related to the Just Energy Transition. The focal point of this work is to promote social justice and create unique opportunities within the green energy economy hence touching lives through innovation with the aim targeted at combating poverty, unemployment and inequality in South Africa. She is also a national expert working on various projects related to the green hydrogen economy in South Africa.