Cape Town Launches USD 65 Million Solar PV Plant with Battery Storage
Cape Town, South Africa - Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced the launch of a R1.2 billion ($65 mil.) solar PV plant with battery storage.
The plant is expected to provide up to one full stage of load-shedding protection and is one of two projects awarded support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), which provides technical and financial assistance to cities in support of a green and just transition. The project is a critical step towards Cape Town's journey away from Eskom reliance and towards a load-shedding-free future.
The feasibility study for the Paardevlei plant will be completed by the end of 2023, with full commissioning of the plant estimated by August 2026. The project is expected to yield up to 60 MW of renewable energy, enough to protect against one full stage of Eskom's load-shedding. Contracts for a 200 MW renewable energy procurement from independent power producers will be awarded within 2023. Additionally, the city is offering households and businesses cash for power from their solar PV systems, with the feed-in tariff set to increase by 10.15% for 2023/24, plus a 25c per kWh incentive.
In partnership with the CFF, the initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Government of the United Kingdom, and the Agence Française de Development (AFD). The program is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH together with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. The cooperation agreement between City of Cape Town and the C40 Cities Climate Facility demonstrates the importance of international cooperation to generate actions that benefit the population.
Source: energize,co.za
