Cape Town is on track to become the first city in South Africa to own and operate a solar power plant, marking a significant move towards energy independence.
Cape Town is on track to become the first city in South Africa to own and operate a solar power plant, marking a significant move towards energy independence,The city is currently building a 7 MW solar facility in Atlantis, about 40 km north of Cape Town, with plans to increase capacity to 10 MW in the future. The R200 million project is being managed by the Lesedi Technoserve consortium, which is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction.
In addition to this solar project, the Cape Town government has announced intentions to develop more renewable energy initiatives across the region over the coming years. As part of its long-term energy strategy, the city plans to invest R39.5 billion in infrastructure between July 2024 and June 2027. Furthermore, Cape Town has issued a tender for its first battery energy storage system, which will feature a capacity of 5 MW/8 MWh.
This system will be installed alongside the solar plant, with the tender open until 20 November for potential suppliers. These initiatives are crucial elements of Cape Town’s 2050 Energy Strategy. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis highlighted the importance of the solar plant, especially in light of recent electricity price hikes by Eskom, the country’s main power provider.
‘The city currently allocates 75% of its electricity tariff income to purchasing power from Eskom,’ said Hill-Lewis. ‘With Eskom’s continued price increases, including a recent request for a nearly 44% hike, diversifying our energy sources is essential. These increases are unsustainable for both the city and our residents, and we are committed to challenging these excessive costs.’
To encourage residential adoption of renewable energy, Cape Town has also launched an online solar authorisation portal to simplify the process of obtaining certificates for installing solar panels and battery systems in homes, reducing wait times and motivating more households to switch to solar power. With these strategic efforts, Cape Town is positioning itself as a leader in renewable energy, setting a precedent for other municipalities in South Africa.
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