The V&A Waterfront is planning on doubling its rooftop panels and installing massive batteries in parking spaces in an effort to limit the impact of loadshedding.
The city’s landmark currently runs 48 generators to keep its shops, restaurants, and mall infrastructure powered during rolling blackouts, consuming massive amounts of diesel and money.
“Having all our hotels, restaurants and retailers consistently trading normally throughout loadshedding is a competitive advantage and nothing less than what is expected from a premier destination,” explained CEO David Green at a media briefing this week
Generators have been employed as the most reliable backup power sources but they’re costly to run and compromise the Waterfront’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2035.
Also read: Cape Town mayor welcomes the Time Out Market at the Waterfront
While the precinct does have rooftop solar panels that generate 2MW of energy, generation peaks during the day and is quickly drained by air conditioning.
As a result, batteries will be require to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
Upon completion of the re-roofing of the Victoria Wharf, additional solar panels will be installed, doubling generation capacity but still answering only 15% of requirements.
Green said that other long-term, sustainable projects include a waste-to-energy biomass power plant and wind turbines while batteries are a storage solution
R1 billion has already been spent on upgrades of roadways, landscaping, drop-and-go locations, Victoria Wharf shopping centre and the Blackwater treatment plants, to mitigate loadshedding.
The Waterfront will also use renewable energy to power their new 3.3 megalire desalination plant in an effort to satisfy the needs of the precinct.
“The plant’s capacity will be sufficient to meet the V&A’s daily water requirement and take its water consumption completely off-grid,” said Green.
“To offset the energy required to operate the plant, we are exploring pyrolysis [biomass] in line with our goal of using zero energy from the grid.”
Also read:
Western Cape welcomes plan to battle load shedding using renewable energy
Photo: Cape{town}Etc Library