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The City of Cape Town has taken its first leap towards energy sustainability with the launch of construction on its first-ever solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Atlantis.

This milestone not only marks the city’s commitment to diversifying its energy resources but also signals a strategic move to reduce its reliance on Eskom’s power supply.

The R200 million project, expected to be completed within a year, aims to contribute between 7 MW and 10 MW of renewable energy to the city’s electricity grid, as Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis stated via The Electricity Hub.

“What an exciting day this is for Cape Town and the people of Atlantis,” said Hill-Lewis.

“This is one of our flagship projects to build a more secure energy future with cleaner and more affordable energy.”

Once up and running, the solar plant will connect to a nearby main substation, seamlessly feeding clean energy directly into the grid. Mayor Hill-Lewis expects the first flow of electricity from the facility by late 2025.

He also highlighted the potential for expansion, announcing the city’s bold vision to roll out similar solar plants across the metro in the coming years, further powering Cape Town’s future.

Cape Town is the first metro in SA to start construction on its own solar power plant! 🏗️☀️🔋

Construction got underway today in Atlantis!

As we face another massive Eskom price hike, it’s vital that we secure our city’s energy future with more affordable and cleaner… pic.twitter.com/y7N6kwDiZJ

— Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) October 7, 2024

Since Eskom recently applied to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) for a hefty 36% tariff increase—citing escalating costs of power provision—and proposing an additional 11.8% hike for 2027, followed by a 9.1% increase the year after, the urgency of finding alternative energy sources has never been clearer. Against this backdrop, Mayor Hill-Lewis’s vision of solar expansion across Cape Town is not just ambitious, but essential, as the city looks to future-proof its energy supply and reduce dependence on Eskom.

The City also announced the release of its first 5MW battery storage tender, with the storage facility to be constructed on the same site in Atlantis. By co-locating the battery system with the solar PV plant, both technologies can operate synergistically as a hybrid energy solution.

“The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project aims to serve as a pilot project to eventually incorporate energy storage within the City’s network,” said Limberg.

The solar plant and battery storage initiative are critical components of Cape Town’s 2050 Energy Strategy, which focuses on diversifying energy sources and ensuring a secure energy future for the city.

Take that, Eskom!

[source:electricityhub]