Small-scale solar is noticeably decreasing municipalities’ revenue

The adoption of solar energy in South Africa has witnessed a swift upswing, leading to a decrease in the demand for energy from the conventional grid. Consequently, this decline in energy demand has resulted in diminished revenue generation for local municipalities through electricity sales. Although this poses a challenge for municipalities, it also presents an […]

Floatovoltaics — The rise solar farms on water

When Benedikt Ortmann first encountered the concept of placing solar panels on water to generate power, he was initially skeptical, considering it a risky gimmick. “The universal understanding is that electricity and water don’t mix,” remarked Ortmann, the head of solar operations at Baywa r.e., a prominent renewable energy developer headquartered in Munich, Europe’s largest […]

This is how much Johannesburg will pay you for your excess solar power

  City Power, the electricity utility in Johannesburg, has unveiled a plan to enable residents with solar power setups to sell excess electricity back to the grid. The utility aims to implement feed-in tariffs, with rates set at 85.50 cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh) for residential users and 70.85 c/kWh for businesses and large power consumers. […]

Guard Against Solar Power Corruption in South Africa

The rapid uptake of solar power in South Africa has attracted individuals looking to capitalize on the burgeoning market, according to Sakkie van Wijk, the co-founder and COO of Solarise Africa. In the alternative energy industry, Van Wijk explained that their personal networks often approach them for project reviews and guidance, but they are increasingly […]

Big changes coming for rooftop solar in South Africa: Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says that the government is pulling on every resource it has to get power onto the grid as a matter of extreme urgency. However, he said that the ‘energy action plan’ – announced six months ago – could not be implemented overnight and that measures would take time to yield results. Writing […]

Biggest solar plant in South Africa vs the world

South Africa’s largest solar power plant is the Solar Capital De Aar Project in the Northern Cape. The photovoltaic (PV) facility has an installed generating capacity of 175MW, enough to provide electricity to roughly 75,000 homes per year. It consists of more than half a million PV modules covering 473 hectares. The project was split […]