Three questions for: South African guest researcher Matthew Gabin

21 st September, 2026 | Guest researcher Matthew Gabin from South Africa stays for three months at RLI. Matthew is a researcher at the Energy Systems Research Group (ESRG) at the University of Cape Town. Within the DAAD-funded program TRAJECTS (Transnational Centre for Just Transitions in Energy, Climate and Sustainability), he works together with Reiner Lemoine Graduate School’s PhD candidate Agatha Majcher.

We asked Matthew three questions about his time at RLI.

What is your first impression of the Reiner Lemoine Institute?

What has stood out to me is RLI’s commitment to open-source research and the willingness of people to share knowledge, exchange ideas and learn from one another. There is a great mix of technical expertise and different academic and international perspectives, while the atmosphere remains incredibly welcoming and approachable – which is so encouraging to me as a young researcher. For me, it is an exciting environment in which to broaden my own modelling experience, while also bringing my own perspectives from South Africa and the work we are doing at UCT into the conversation.

What are you working on during your stay at the RLI?

During my stay at RLI, I am working on energy system modelling using PyPSA-RSA, an open-source model of the South African power system. My research focuses on South Africa’s transition away from its coal-dominated electricity system and the role that different technologies and system constraints could play as coal-fired power stations are retired.

A key focus of my research is the potential role of new gas-to-power capacity in this transition: under what conditions it could provide valuable flexibility and transitional capacity, and when investment in gas infrastructure could instead create risks of stranded assets or long-term technology lock-in. Using PyPSA-RSA, I am exploring how these outcomes interact with renewable energy expansion, transmission constraints and the changing configuration of South Africa’s power system.

What are your goals for your time at RLI?

My main goal during my time at RLI is to deepen my expertise in open-source power-system modelling and develop a strong working knowledge of PyPSA that I can carry forward into my research in South Africa. Through my research, I aim to distinguish between valuable low-utilisation gas flexibility and genuinely stranded gas-to-power investment, and to identify the transition conditions under which stranding risk emerges.

Beyond the research itself, I hope to learn from RLI’s expertise in open-source modelling and energy transition analysis, while contributing perspectives from the South African context. I also hope to build lasting research connections and strengthen opportunities for continued knowledge exchange and collaboration between RLI and the Energy Systems Research Group at the University of Cape Town.

We thank Matthew for his support and wish him continued success with his work at RLI!