Cape Town working hard to roll out cash-for-power 'game-changer'

11 February 2023 - 14:17 By TimesLIVE
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Cape Town says the sale of excess power by approved commercial customers, and later residential clients, could be another game-changer for the city. Stock photo.
Cape Town says the sale of excess power by approved commercial customers, and later residential clients, could be another game-changer for the city. Stock photo.
Image: 123RF/Diyana Dimitrova

Cape Town’s energy team is working hard on rolling out its new cash-for-power initiative announced by mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis recently.

The sale of excess electricity by approved commercial customers, and later residential clients, could be another game-changer for the city, it said on Saturday.

“In the past, commercial customers who produced excess electricity could not sell it back to the city. Now, after the city received a National Treasury exemption, businesses and residents may be paid directly for excess power produced,” said mayoral committee member for energy Beverley van Reenen. 

“This is in addition to a 25c per kilowatt incentive the city availed. Neither of these incentives are offered by any other provider in South Africa. 

“The city is first focusing on commercial customers. The amount of energy that they can produce is limited by the size of their system, which is limited by the size of their connection to the city grid. Therefore they may produce as much as they can, equivalent to the size of their system.

“By December 1 last year, the city had more than 2,600 approved grid-tied installations. The registration and authorisation process is free but some installers may charge customers to complete the registration process.”

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