As part of its ongoing, ground-breaking small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) programme, the city is installing solar PV systems at various municipal facilities to offset dependence on traditional Eskom- and City-power supply. The City of Cape Town has plans to invest more than R4 billion in electricity grid upgrades and maintenance over the next three years as part of the City’s new budget for 2024/25.
The investment program was devised to ensure the grid can cope with a dynamic, decentralised energy future. Overall, Cape Town is planning to add up to one gigawatt of independent power supply to end Power Outages (locally known as Load-Shedding) over time, including enough energy to protect against four Eskom load-shedding stages by 2026.
The City’s Energy and Water and Sanitation directorates recently completed a 990kWp renewable energy project at the Kraaifontein Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project was undertaken in support of the City’s commitment to use sustainable energy sources to drive energy efficiency in internal operations. The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Alderman Xanthea Limberg, and Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, visited the plant in Kraaifontein today, 15 August 2024.
At the same time as the Kraaifontein project was rolled out, the City also completed similar SSEG projects at the Goodwood Transport Management Centre (330kWp) and the Gugulethu Electricity Depot (125kWp) at a total cost of R20,6m for the three projects.
The project contributes towards diversifying the energy mix to secure additional energy capacity in South Africa and importantly within the City.
Construction on site started in November 2023 and was completed in May 2024 with an annual yield of 1,5 GWh expected. It is estimated that the annual savings on electricity purchases in year one will be a massive R2,4m.
