An increasing number of Cape Town residents are exploring alternative power solutions for their homes and businesses due to Eskom’s unreliable performance. Starting 1 October, households and businesses seeking to install alternate power sources must utilise the City of Cape Town-approved list of inverters.
Failure to comply will result in non-registration, a measure prompted by concerns over subpar quality and improper wiring by unreliable operators, leading to extended outages during loadshedding.
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The regulation applies to solar PV and battery systems integrated into a building’s electrical wiring, or any set-up using inverters without solar panels that are connected to a distribution board and excludes trolley inverters that are designed to plug into wall sockets, as they fall under the category of appliances and are not subject to this regulation.
The City said that this adjustment would also streamline the solar PV system registration process. Explaining the rationale behind this change, the City cited delays in the authorisation process due to the high volume of applications and the diverse array of system types.
Many systems currently utilise non-approved inverters that are improperly wired, creating safety and network integrity risks.
The multitude of unique wiring configurations has substantially hindered the registration process for City professionals. Simplifying these configurations will expedite the process.
To expedite authorisation approvals, the City plans to increase its staff capacity for application processing and is in the process of developing an online application portal.
While applications submitted before October will still be processed, priority will be given to grid-tied systems using inverters approved by the City.
For a comprehensive list of approved inverters, please refer to the following link: CoCT Approved Inverter List.
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Let’s talk inverters as stage 7 loadshedding looms on the horizon
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