South Africa has been grappling with the problem of erratic electricity with the most severe power cuts to date. The unreliable power supply has hindered economic growth and development, leaving many households and businesses struggling to access reliable and affordable energy. However, WiSolar, a green digital energy provider based in South Africa, is seeking to change this narrative by providing on-demand solar electricity that can power over 1 million houses in South Africa.
Environmental impact & Radiative forcing is also a consideration as South Africa transitions from fossil-fuel-based power to renewable and cleaner sources.
According to the IEA World Energy Outlook Report, providing electricity access to all by 2030 will require an annual investment of $52 billion per year equivalent to only 0.2% of global GDP.
Journal One Earth published “The world’s top fossil fuel companies owe at least $209bn in annual climate reparations to compensate communities most damaged by their polluting business and decades of lies, a new study calculates.
BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company and Chevron are among the largest 21 polluters responsible for $5.4tn (£4.3tn) in drought, wildfires, sea level rise, and melting glaciers among other climate catastrophes expected between 2025 and 2050”
According to the Founder and CEO of WiSolar, Tonye Irims, the company is concerned about the electricity challenges the masses in South Africa are faced with and is ready to step in to provide affordable and green digital energy.
Irims noted that the intervention will come at no-upfront payment by South Africans as the company will install the solar system for homeowners.
“WiSolar’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy in South Africa and other parts of Africa by providing affordable and reliable solar electricity. The company aims to help address the energy access deficit in South Africa.
“The on-demand service focuses primarily on a power purchase agreement (PPA) business model where WiSolar installs and maintains a solar system on a customer’s home, then sells power to the customer via the app as required per kWh for a 20- or 25-year term. This business model allows property owners to install solar at no upfront cost,” Irims said.
Irims also said that the company is targeting qualifying residential estates and affordable housing communities in South Africa for prepaid solar electricity adding that the system will reduce the pressure of residential loads on the national grid and also be low-cost to users.
“The company uses a combination of solar panels, energy storage, and smart energy management systems to provide clean and sustainable energy to its customers.
“Developers and home builders of new and existing homes can talk to us with regards to installing our prepaid solar electricity systems at their residential clusters,” Irims said.
To achieve its goal of powering over 1 million houses in South Africa, WiSolar will partner with local communities, businesses, and governments to deploy its solar solutions. The project will demonstrate the potential of solar solutions to provide reliable and affordable electricity to households and businesses.
In addition to providing solar solutions, WiSolar is also investing in local training and capacity-building programs to help create jobs and promote entrepreneurship in the renewable energy sector. The company aims to empower local communities to become self-sufficient in energy production and management, which can have significant economic and social benefits.
The on-demand solar electricity platform is available in South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe with plans to enter Australia.
