Josh Dippenaar

@PillayKavi @geordinhl @CityofCT almost 100MW

🌞 Cape Town's rooftop solar boom is breaking records! In August 23 we received a massive 1500 application for solar installations – a 50% surge compared to July, our previous record month 🚀 Read more: tinyurl.com/5azefvhn

A spoke in the wheel: Wheeling electricity offers a solution to SA’s power crisis – so why is it not happening in Mpumalanga, the energy heartland? #PowerTracker journalists @andee_mat & @molelekwa98 investigate ▶️ bit.ly/47RERiI

@AntonEberhard @solar_chase @Eskom_SA It’s an estimate based on reduced Tx demand considering weather data. Great work by Eskom team!

@solar_chase @Eskom_SA Jenny: the data was published in the weekly system update by SA’s national power utility Eskom, the first time, I believe. We’re trying to find out from Eskom how they collated the data eskom.co.za/wp-content/upl…

Here's @Eskom_SA's estimate of how much rooftop solar PV has been added (cumulatively) in South Africa. It reduce the residual load that Eskom has to meet during the day, meaning less load shedding and more available energy to restore its pumped hydro and diesel storage.

@FrancisBJackson @Kgosientsho_R Massive news!!!

Eskom has agreed to waive the requirement for security deposit updates to wheel into municipalities in good standing - Minister Ramakgopa referring to the work of the National Energy Crisis Committee Workstream 9 #NECOM @Kgosientsho_R youtube.com/watch?v=nbiDV7…

@D_W_Taljaard @geordinhl Probably a combination. The attractive FIT is definitely encouraging customers to register. And the City’s slick SSEG registration process makes it easy to register 🚀

@geordinhl Is this due to a functional FIT structure/system or the financial attractiveness of the FIT? @JoshDips to bless us with the knowledge 👏

The appetite for solar energy in Cape Town is skyrocketing! 🚀⚡💡 March 2023 marked the highest number of rooftop solar PV applications in history, with over 700 applications received. Find out more about the city’s Cash for Power programme: tinyurl.com/4985d58z

@nickhedley @BasetsanaM__ Surely self-reliance is not the future we want? I think you’d enjoy our video on the topic of an electricity grid for all. Please share if it resonates with you: youtu.be/E8yoFx-At_A

In a failing state (South Africa), self-reliance is first prize. Wherever possible, households and communities need to develop their own: - Power supply (rooftop solar / community-owned solar+battery systems) - Water storage - Food supply (backyard / community veggie gardens)

@solarboygenius @D_W_Taljaard @CityofCT @EnlitAfrica Great Frank! Let’s hope the rest of industry also see the bigger picture of developing a sustainable PV industry. This approach is defensible in terms of the ERA and it is in line with international best practice.

@D_W_Taljaard @CityofCT @EnlitAfrica OK I take it back. Not nuts. The City has a major problem with people claiming to be installing off-grid systems, but they are still connected to the grid. This solves that problem and will speed up the approval timelines. So I support what they are doing.

Interesting move by the @CityofCT to treat all SSEG applications as grid tied. Not sure how this will work in practice. If a system is "actually" off grid ie electrically seperated from the network, is an application even necessary? 👀🤷🏼‍♂️ Seen @EnlitAfrica #sseg @solarboygenius

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) recently released Net Billing Rules for public comment. The rules outline how Prosumers must get compensated for feeding electricity into the grid. Video summary: lnkd.in/dMfcecQB Full rules: nersa.org.za/wp-content/upl…

@uminnaar @amandavisser1 @Moneyweb You don’t think the cumulative capacity of rooftop solar reducing demand from grid makes any difference? Or are you implying that the panels are only used to charge battery?

The Solar PV tax incentive is going to make no difference to loadshedding. SA Govt just gave rich people a discount on backup systems. Understanding the rooftop solar tax incentive #MoneywebNews - By @amandavisser1 moneyweb.co.za/mymoney/moneyw… via @Moneyweb

@FrancisBJackson @Eskom_SA @SolarPower_RSA Yeah this is super exciting!

Excellent work-in-progress by @Eskom_SA toward enabling scaling wheeling of electricity with a Virtual Wheeling Platform (VWP). The data hub could he utilised nationwide, including into municipality networks. @SolarPower_RSA

@geordinhl Well done to the team for making this happen! HUGE step forward!

🚨Important news🚨:Cape Town can officially start paying people for the power they sell back to the city. Without limit. We’ve got a reply from the National Treasury, giving us the exemption we asked for. This is an NB step on the end loadshedding journey tinyurl.com/neztw7en

As part of the EG Workshop, municipalities went on a site visit to @CSIR's solar PV power plant. With the new rules allowing municipalities to generate their own electricity, this was an excellent opportunity for municipalities to learn about different technologies #solarenergy

@mikebleyenheuft @CityTshwane Yes, Tshwane SSEG team will be attending our next training in a few weeks. Hoping we can support some improvements. Looks like the tide is turning: rekord.co.za/427035/metro-t…

@JoshDips I hope @CityTshwane also attended. They have probably the most backward SSEG process in the country which is preventing businesses from investing in cost-saving solar systems.

We’re in the middle of our annual training for municipalities to process solar applications. Notably more enthusiasm and less resistance from municipalities each year 💡☀️

This is a great summary on the need for fixed charges on electricity tariffs.

@chrisyelland Fantastic summary Chris. Fully agree with your principles.

A number of media are contacting me for comment on the separation of network access & energy components of electricity tariffs. So herewith my views on the subject which I hope will clarify things more rationally: bit.ly/3RPX8oo

@SabeloSekhalo @AntonEberhard @CSIR Definitely. But our transition is not slow due to a lack of synchronous generation, which I understand is the role grid forming inverters play?

@AntonEberhard @CSIR What's your take on grid forming inverters? Do you suggest it might help with our energy transition?

South Africa's SLOW energy transition @CSIR

@duncancampbell In South Africa we use these benchmarks for Dx line losses. Varies with voltage and density. Rural LV customers benchmark = 11% Dx losses. Urban MV nearer 2%. This excludes Tx.

@waitbutwhy A human riding a bike is the most energy efficient way of transportation in the whole planet.

MEET THE FACULTY: As part of the SALGA-GIZ-DMRE Municipal SSEG Support Program, Josh Dippenaar has supported over 40 South African municipalities develop feed-in-tariffs for #solar PV customers. #PowerFutures gsb.uct.ac.za/executive-educ…