Cape Town is facing a surge in applications for solar power installations amid South Africa’s worsening electricity shortage. The city has received over 2,300 applications this year, with a peak of nearly 700 in March. To encourage this trend, Cape Town plans to purchase excess rooftop solar power from homes and businesses, starting later this year.

South Africa is grappling with frequent power cuts due to equipment breakdowns at the state-owned Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., leading many businesses to generate their own electricity. Cape Town, governed by the Democratic Alliance, is pursuing a program to procure its power independently, aiming to reduce reliance on Eskom.

Since 2020, Cape Town has received nearly 11,000 applications for small-scale solar generation, mostly from residential users, while commercial installations make up the majority of the installed capacity.

Link to Original Article