Outdated Eskom and municipal electricity standard for solar power is based on absurd assumption - Chris Yelland

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Absurd assumption about solar power for homes in South Africa

When it comes to domestic, grid-tied, rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in South Africa, as with so many other aspects in the country’s electricity supply industry, outdated thinking and reactionary rules are holding back the supply of electricity in misguided efforts to protect the incumbent monopolies.

Even municipal electricity distributors in South Africa considered to be progressive and forward-thinking, such as the City of Cape Town, have ridiculous, self-serving rules regarding domestic solar PV systems that feed electricity back into the grid. Other municipal and Eskom electricity distributors are no different.
 
And communist Cape Town is issuing for finance so that they can own all generation.

I am fine with assymetric rates (e.g. paying consumption rate when using and getting reimbursed wholesale rate) but all the other ridiculous limitations and restrictions need to go.

Why would CoCT insist on building their own solar when they can unlock private investment by getting rid of ridiculous rules I don't know.
 
My cousin in Rondebosch (CoCT) had to pay R10K to have a post-paid 3-phase meter installed, so that he could feed solar power back into the grid. You have to be pretty determined to go to such lengths, and it will barely cover your costs...
 
When eskom properly breaks up into the 3 entities, the grid charge might just make it senseless to be tied to the grid. Just hoping batteries seriously drop in prices and technology drastically improve by then.
 
Johand said:
And communist Cape Town is issuing for finance so that they can own all generation.

I am fine with assymetric rates (e.g. paying consumption rate when using and getting reimbursed wholesale rate) but all the other ridiculous limitations and restrictions need to go.

Why would CoCT insist on building their own solar when they can unlock private investment by getting rid of ridiculous rules I don't know.
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CoCT and all other metros should be charging time of use tariffs, not asymmetrical rates, they should be putting up massive battery farms, that is what will make sense. However, all our local govs are using electricity profits to subsidize other services (read useless headcount).
 
Kawak said:
CoCT and all other metros should be charging time of use tariffs, not asymmetrical rates, they should be putting up massive battery farms, that is what will make sense. However, all our local govs are using electricity profits to subsidize other services (read useless headcount).
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+1
 
Cities/Towns/Local authorities "....needs...." the money they build up a need for, so the killer will be the taxes/levies raised to make up for "losses" due to private generation, so in the end you scored nothing financially by going private, remember if they pay you, its a loss for them although the interem its a score for ESKOM inablity to provide, so unless modern corruption is removed deeply and completely, I don't see this play out well, and it looks similar in other parts of the world and thats not good either.
 
Good article. Unfortunately the numbnuts can't see the benefits. Or they can but there's no incentive in it for the looters. I'd even be willing to subsidise the freeloaders as it will still benefit me but at a third of the price and no net supply it's just not worth it.
 
I like this Chris Yelland dude.... he knows what's up.

Any way this can be brought to court for a hearing at all?
 
I think we are going to see the end of Eskom in the next 10 years. Cheap batteries will be the final nail in the coffin we are close. I recently installed a small solar system and to know I have lights and wifi when Eskom is down is amazing.
 
I had to install a R11k meter AND now I have to pay a daily service fee of R12,36 for what? It is difficult to even make up the service fee at 73,87 c/kWh.
It is ridiculous, but what can/should we do? I have written various letters to the City of Cape Town and even NERSA - they do not even respond. Perhaps start selling to your neighbours at R2,00/kWh during load shedding or when you have excess? See what they do if they catch you!
 
spiff said:
Never going to feed back - it's not worth it, both escum & coct are thieving scum bags!

I'd rather run my pool pump, pool heater, towel warmer or aircon to burn off excess power.
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Or put up a bitcoin ASIC miner. You can have it turn on whenever you have surplus power. You could buy and older generation model so your Capex would be pretty low.
 
The feeding back into the grid is not as simple as thought. However, installing a solar power system to reduce the Eskom feed is economical. Most hybrid-systems can be configured to support your own consumption without feeding excess into the grid. A reasonable quantity of energy can be stored in a modern lithium battery to supply essentials during load shedding. An average household can generate app 60% of an average daylight consumption for app 8 months a year and app 40% for the remaining months, app 50% of the annual demand.
This reduction in demand can be deducted from the Escom demand. A widespread use of rooftop-power would ease the demand from the national grid similar to the proposed 'power-ships'. The widespread private investment in solar pays for itself within 5 to 6 years (including interest) with the extra convenience of essential power during load shedding.
This is economical, as long as the municipalities and Escom do not charge a levy for the power privately generated!
 
To use PV in RSA is the only way to go with a solar factor of 5.6 compared to Europe 0.8
To feedback PV power into a switched off grid is not working that's why off grid systems with battery backup are more popular to avoid candlelight dinners. My system is working fine and load shedding dose not bother me.
But in the long run the smart way would be decentralized power source with large batteries backups see Melbourne Australia. Eskom must come down from their high horse and cooperate not hinder with excessive prices for reverse feed meters they should be free of charge anyway. The rest of the world is talking carbon free at 2050 RSA has no intention to go that way, i never heard of this sentence here.
 
I think if you factor in the installation, daily feed in tariff, and electricity cost you can probably break even over 10 years by going completely off grid with a solar geyser, gas, and 20kwh of lithium battery storage with a large solar array.
 
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