Cape Town has introduced an online solar PV authorization portal that has already authorized over 5,000 solar PV systems, contributing 126 MVA to the city’s energy grid. The innovative platform significantly reduces the time taken to authorize solar PV systems, ensuring safety measures within the energy sector. The Energy Services Application automates the issuance of Permission to Install Letters for specific types of applications, including smallscale residential solar PV and battery systems, and is available via eServices. The increasing demand for solar PV in Cape Town is evident, with the number of monthly applications tripling from 2021 to 2023.
Load shedding has become a common issue in South Africa, causing disruptions in daily life and businesses. In response, the Western Cape Government is taking proactive measures to eliminate power blackouts. The government has launched an ambitious project to provide selected towns in the province with continuous power supply and reduce the impact of load shedding.