Members of the Kwazakhele SalTuba Co-operative can expect to start receiving payment from mid-2021 for the solar power they are generating for the grid, the metro said on Thursday.
Nelson Mandela Bay spokesperson Mamela Ndamase said the SalTuba pilot project undertaken by the co-operative was a positive one.
“Definitely, it is. With the crisis of tariffs steadily increasing, customers are seeking alternative energy sources and to be independent from the municipality’s grid.
“This is a winning project because it is a way for us to retain our customers as well.
“This kind of project, if carefully implemented, can improve the quality of our electricity supply.”
It also presented excellent possibilities for the future, she said.
“It is a positive project that we wish to roll out across the city.
“The city must apply to the National Energy Regulator of SA for a feed-in tariff and once that is approved by the regulator and then council, we can from next year July ensure that the participating households get the financial benefit from the project,” she said.
The SalTuba project harnesses solar power, food gardening, water harvesting and recycling and was born out of the Transition Township research project, which was initiated by NMU department of development studies professor Janet Cherry in consultation with the Kwazakhele community, the metro’s electricity directorate and half a dozen other role players.
The SalTuba project is owned by the SalTuba Co-operative, which comprises 36 households in Sali and Tubali streets, which run on either side of the site, a gap tap or open piece of land near Njoli Square.
A key element of the project is the 15-panel five kilowatt solar array, which was installed a year ago.
The micro-solar plant has been delivering power to the municipal grid via a transformer box on the edge of the gap tap, which also measures the energy it transfers.
So far the co-operative has not received any payments, but committee member Lungile Tyali said this week they were hopeful these would start coming through once technical processes had been finalised.
Energyworx MD Khaled El-Jabi, whose company played a key role in establishing the solar facility, said the project dovetailed with the global trend in the energy sector.
“It’s in line with the global move by power utilities to include communities in their generation strategies, making them ‘prosumers’ rather than consumers.”
Transition Township researcher Patrick Brennan said SalTuba was a vibrant new entity.
“It’s a combination of a street committee, a body corporate and a social enterprise.
“It places the means of production into the hands of the community.”
Cherry said the aim of the project was to transform often neglected and abused public open spaces into public assets.
HeraldLIVE
Community solar project should start reaping rewards next year
Image: Eugene Coetzee
Members of the Kwazakhele SalTuba Co-operative can expect to start receiving payment from mid-2021 for the solar power they are generating for the grid, the metro said on Thursday.
Nelson Mandela Bay spokesperson Mamela Ndamase said the SalTuba pilot project undertaken by the co-operative was a positive one.
“Definitely, it is. With the crisis of tariffs steadily increasing, customers are seeking alternative energy sources and to be independent from the municipality’s grid.
“This is a winning project because it is a way for us to retain our customers as well.
“This kind of project, if carefully implemented, can improve the quality of our electricity supply.”
It also presented excellent possibilities for the future, she said.
“It is a positive project that we wish to roll out across the city.
“The city must apply to the National Energy Regulator of SA for a feed-in tariff and once that is approved by the regulator and then council, we can from next year July ensure that the participating households get the financial benefit from the project,” she said.
The SalTuba project harnesses solar power, food gardening, water harvesting and recycling and was born out of the Transition Township research project, which was initiated by NMU department of development studies professor Janet Cherry in consultation with the Kwazakhele community, the metro’s electricity directorate and half a dozen other role players.
The SalTuba project is owned by the SalTuba Co-operative, which comprises 36 households in Sali and Tubali streets, which run on either side of the site, a gap tap or open piece of land near Njoli Square.
A key element of the project is the 15-panel five kilowatt solar array, which was installed a year ago.
The micro-solar plant has been delivering power to the municipal grid via a transformer box on the edge of the gap tap, which also measures the energy it transfers.
So far the co-operative has not received any payments, but committee member Lungile Tyali said this week they were hopeful these would start coming through once technical processes had been finalised.
Energyworx MD Khaled El-Jabi, whose company played a key role in establishing the solar facility, said the project dovetailed with the global trend in the energy sector.
“It’s in line with the global move by power utilities to include communities in their generation strategies, making them ‘prosumers’ rather than consumers.”
Transition Township researcher Patrick Brennan said SalTuba was a vibrant new entity.
“It’s a combination of a street committee, a body corporate and a social enterprise.
“It places the means of production into the hands of the community.”
Cherry said the aim of the project was to transform often neglected and abused public open spaces into public assets.
HeraldLIVE
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