Parliament lauds solar project that lit up township

Cape Town – A bright light in electricity access was applauded by Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson in her budget speech on Tuesday, after a Northern Cape community with no electricity benefited from an independent power project (IPP) solar initiative.

“In the !Kheis Municipality, Hilda Scheepers is part of the Duineveld community which has never had basic services,” said Joemat-Pettersson, pointing to the gallery.

“Candlelight and paraffin stoves made it impossible for her children to do their homework at night,” she said. “This situation has changed. Every house in Duineveld now has electricity due to the installation of a 75 watt solar panel.”

The project, led by Acwa Power Southern Africa, won the African Community Project of the Year award at the African Utility Week on May 14 for installing and maintaining 300 home PV solar systems in the Duineveld township.

Acwa’s Chris Ehlers told Fin24 after the budget speech that the community initiative is part of the company's culture.

“To try help the community, we did these various projects, which was specifically addressed today in parliament as outstanding [and] as contributing not only to the community but also to the Northern Cape province,” he said.

“It’s part of our DNA at Acwa Power in what we’re doing,” he said.

“We place a great deal of emphasis on socio-economic sustainability of the nations we serve and have facilitated maximum levels of South African participation in the entire project.”

The community project formed part of an IPP called Bokpoort Concentrated Solar Park, located in Groblershoop, Northern Cape. Once completed, the solar park will add 50 MW of clean energy to the national grid.

Watch: Chris Ehlers outside parliament.