The Mother City is making a move towards renewable energy. The City of Cape Town’s Executive director for energy Kadri Nassiep says they have engaged with the national treasury to set up an independent power producer (IPP) office.

This new strategy is in line with the City’s renewable energy independent power producer programme (REIPPP) with a call for proposals appealing to those who can help the Mother City move into a new era. “We have also engaged CSIR to prepare our mini-IRP that will direct our call for proposals,” Nassiep told the Daily Maverick.

Guided by the integrated resource plan (IRP), the City will choose where the electricity will be sourced from and when.

The IPP office has already started with an exercise to urgently source 2 000 to 3 000 megawatts of energy. Part of the new offices duties will be re-shaping the energy landscape of the Mother City and actively implement its own resource plan.

According to Nassiep this means tariffs will need to be relooked as well. “We still have to refine tariffs, but we are looking at it already,” he said.

A new budget will be necessary to accommodate the plans going forward.

Earlier in February, it was announced that the government will be gazetting a revised Electricity Regulation Act with Schedule 2 enabling self-generation and facilitation of “distributed generation” by municipalities.

The City of Cape Town is still waiting to have their day in court in May 11 and 12 where the City will state its case against Nersa and for having its own source of electricity.

Joining Cape Town in the battle is the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), saying the government has a duty to provide clean, healthy energy to its people that does not pollute or damage the climate in any way.

Currently the City is also conducting a study to determine the best ways to rise above energy poverty improving access for all as well as affordability.

President Ramaphosa is also behind the movement having announced that a new ministerial determination will be issued shortly which will allow for the development of additional grid capacity from renewable energy specifically.

“We will initiate the procurement of emergency power from projects that can deliver electricity into the grid within three to 12 months from approval,” said Ramaphosa.

As the fight for renewable energy rages on the future looks as though it will be brighter with Cape Town leading the way.

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