City announces project with potential to protect against a full stage of load shedding

There’s good news at last on the energy front, and yes you read correctly -- GOOD news, not bad.

The City of Cape Town this week announced a new R1.2-billion solar PV project with the potential to protect against a full stage of load shedding.

The project comes courtesy of substantial development funding from abroad and is linked to efforts to address man-made climate change.

While it is still unclear how soon this power could be added to the grid, it is nevertheless welcome news amid the current gloom of stage six load shedding that continues to exact a heavy toll.

It is also encouraging to see civil society responding to the crisis by speaking out against government regulation hindering power generation, specifically the Electricity Regulation Act. The Free Market Foundation has launched a petition that urges government to amend the Act in order to accelerate independent power generation. As a Chamber we too are advocating for private sector involvement in the energy sector, and not only in relation to power generation. We also firmly believe the private sector needs to be actively involved in shaping energy policy such that the country does not repeat the current energy supply disaster. If the current load shedding disaster has taught us anything it is that government alone cannot be entrusted with the keys to our economy; we need active partnership, collaboration and action to ensure a measured approach that promotes a sustainable, just and prosperous future.

We invite all our partners to form part of the ongoing dialogue around energy solutions. It is worth remembering that the new R1.2-billion solar PV project would not be possible without the existing expertise within the private sector, the men and women who will ultimately implement our long term energy solutions. By building and supporting the private sector we give meaning to policy statements that might otherwise never evolve further than an office desktop.