Mayor of Cape Town Geordin Hill-Lewis has declared that the City will construct and manage a solar PV plant with battery storage worth R1.2 billion that will protect Cape Town from one stage of loadshedding.
Also read: City extends the deadline for shelters to apply for winter preparation aid
The project has been granted assistance from the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), which aims to aid cities in achieving a green and equitable transition by providing technical and financial support.
The CFF programme is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Government of the United Kingdom, and the Agence Française de Development (AFD) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in conjunction with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
‘It gives me great pleasure to announce that the City’s Paardevlei ground mounted solar PV and battery storage project just outside Somerset-West will yield up to 60MW of renewable energy – enough to protect against one full stage of Eskom’s load-shedding.’
‘The C40 CFF will support the project team in their efforts to undertake a technical feasibility study. This project is another critical step in our journey away from Eskom reliance and towards a load-shedding-free Cape Town.’
‘We are confident that Cape Town will be the first metro to free our economy from power disruptions, and ensure a green and just energy transition,’ said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
The Paardevlei plant is expected to be fully operational by August 2026, after the completion of the feasibility study by the end of 2023. The area designated for the plant is unsuitable for human settlements.
The cooperation agreement between the City of Cape Town and the C40 Cities Climate Facility highlights the importance of international cooperation in achieving goals that benefit the populace.
The CFF programme, carried out by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, aims to improve cities’ capacity to obtain financing for climate change projects.
Mayor Hill-Lewis recently proposed the Building Hope Budget for 2023/24, which includes a R2.3 billion plan to end loadshedding over three years, including funding for the Paardevlei solar PV plant.
The city has issued a significant power tender, with the final phase of a three-phase procurement intended to protect citizens from Eskom’s first four stages of loadshedding. The city is also introducing the Power Heroes Programme and offering incentives for households and businesses that generate power from their solar PV systems.
Cape Town will receive technical assistance valued at approximately R10 million from CFF to support its Liveable Urban Waterway and Green Infrastructure Programmes, which aim to improve the health of selected catchments and increase resilience to floods and climate change in Cape Town.
The technical assistance project will produce a business case and master plan for implementing nature-based solutions, green infrastructure, and waterway rehabilitation projects in two additional catchments (Diep River South and Zeekoe) and will include the appointment of a senior project advisor to collaborate with the project team.
Also read:
City customers, gear up for a loadshedding stage rollercoaster
Picture: Unsplash