Alison Hughes

Alison Hughes is a Senior Researcher in the Energy Systems Research Group. She holds an MSc. in Engineering from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Her research focus lies primarily in two areas, energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy and understanding household fuel use, energy poverty and energy transitions in South Africa. Recent work includes quantifying household energy use and energy service needs in different income groups and exploring the extent to which energy efficiency can be improved in the sector using LEAP, and supporting the exploration of alternative energy pathways for South Africa to maximise socio-economic benefits and the just energy transition using the SATIMGE model. Whilst most of her focus has been on South Africa, she has also been active in developing models to explore power system development in other African countries, such as Ghana, Kenya and the DRC using OSeMOSYS and TIMES.

Recent Publications

Lambon-Quayefio, M., Merven, B., Hughes, A., Hartley, F., Darko Osei, R., Estimating the distributive impacts of climate mitigation policies in the power sector in Ghana, (2025), Energy for Sustainable Development, Volume 84, February 2025, 101589

Hughes, A,. et al, (2024) Developing and maintaining a policy-focussed, comprehensive, energy systems model in a developing country context: The case of SATIM in South Africa, Energy Strategy Reviews, Volume 56, November 2024, 101594

Hughes, A., Larmour, R., (2024) Assessment of the potential to improve the energy efficiency of household appliances in South Africa, Energy Strategy Reviews, Volume 56, November 2024, 101595

Falchetta, G., Adeleke, A., Awais, M, Byers, E, Copinschi, P., Duby, S., Hughes, A., Ireland, G., Riahi, K., Rukera-Tabaro, S, Semeria, F, Shendrikova, D, Stevanato, N, Troost, A, Tuninetti, M, Vinca, A, Zulu, A, Hafner, M. (2022), A renewable energy-centred research agenda for planning and financing Nexus development objectives in rural sub-Saharan Africa, Energy Strategy Reviews, Volume 43, September 2022, 100922

Marquard, Andrew; Hartley, Faaiqa; Merven, Bruno; Burton, Jesse; Hughes, Alison; Ireland, Gregory; et al. (2021). Technical Analysis to support the update of South Africa’s First NDC’s mitigation target ranges (UCT 2021). University of Cape Town. Report. https://doi.org/10.25375/uct.16691950.v2, https://doi.org/10.25375/uct.16691950.v2