Eskom makes heaters cheaper

Giving a written reply to Inkatha Freedom Party member Ruth Rabinowitz, the minerals and energy minister Buyelwa Sonjica said that approximately 10 000 solar water heating systems were sold in 2007, and the prices of this equipment varied between R8 500 and R35 000 rand per system installed.

"Eskom aims to increase the installation rate to 200 000 systems per annum over a five year period while dropping the cost of the systems," the minister said.

She explained that Eskom's incentive was paid to accredited suppliers as a reimbursement for a discount offered on installed solar water heaters. The incentive equated to a discount of between 15% and 30% depending on the performance of each particular type of solar water heater.

Savings only 7% of capital cost

However the figure the minister gave in her reply for the savings that a householder might make, was not wildly encouraging. She calculated that the annual savings made on the electricity bill would amount to only 7% of the capital cost of the system.

Here are her figures: The average energy savings on a 200-litre geyser, is 5.62kWh per day, or 2 050kWh per annum. At an average energy price of 45 cents per kWh, this equates to an annual savings of 923 rand. The average installed cost of a 200-litre system including the Eskom subsidy would be R13 200, which means that the annual savings would be 7% of the capital cost.

"The expected increase in the electricity price will result in a larger ratio of savings to capital cost," she said.

She told Rabinowitz that to date 100 homeowners had utilised the incentive process to install a solar geyser in their home. This number is set to rise rapidly as the number of accredited suppliers increases. Ten suppliers are currently registered on the programme, and a further twenty are expected to be registered within the next eight weeks.

"The estimated annual energy reduction for the 100 systems installed to date is 205 130kWh. The amount of savings will increase substantially as the programme gains momentum," Sonjica said

The minister also told Gareth Morgan of the Democratic Alliance in another written reply that a new study into the effect of daylight saving adjustment to clocks in South Africa was being conducted by Eskom at the instance of the department of public enterprises.

The study is expected to be completed by next month. "This will take into account attendant potential socioeconomic impacts on a national scale and provide a cost-benefit analysis," Sonjica said.

She also pointed out that studies were conducted on daylight savings in 1986 by CSIR, and Eskom itself did a study in 2006. "The conclusions of the studies was that there will not be any significant impact on energy consumption, either in the reduction on the peak demand or reduction on the base-load power, as a result of introduction of daylight saving," she said.

However she did acknowledge that the studies were now dated and the need for the new study was identified.

- I-Net Bridge