Abstract
In the quest to ameliorate the negative developments emanating from a heavy reliance on fossil
fuels, there has been a surge in the development, adoption and utilisation of renewable energy
technologies all over the world. Adopting a case study and phenomenological research design
and applying qualitative approaches, this study focuses on the environmental benefits directly
emanating from the development, adoption and application of innovative technologies in
renewable energy generation and supply. In particular it assesses the experiences of municipal
solid waste-to-energy technologies in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa.
The results reveal that the innovative projects have resulted not only in improved municipal
solid waste management, but more importantly improved urban environmental conservation.
The paper concludes by recommending the scaling up of such innovative projects within South
Africa and the adoption and application of these best practices to other African countries.