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Going solar

<h2 class="sectHeading">Solar energy options for the home</h2><p>Switching to a more efficient water heating system will help you save money on your electricity bill.</p><h4>Solar water heaters</h4><p>Solar water heaters are a set of pipes that are placed on the roof of your home. Heat from the sun warms water that can then be used throughout your home for all your hot water needs.</p><h4>Heat pumps</h4><p>Heat pumps use a small amount of electricity to power a pump. The pump acts as an air conditioner in reverse, moving heat from the air into the hot water geyser.</p><p>Heat pumps are a good option for homes and flats that do not get a lot of direct sunshine or do not have enough space or the right construction to support a solar water heater.</p><h2 class="sectHeading">On-site electricity generation</h2><p> <strong>Solar Photo-voltaic (PV): Small Scale-Embedded Generation (SSEG)</strong></p><p>Solar PV technology converts energy from the sun to electricity, which can be used in buildings of all sizes. Investing in solar PV can help reduce the amount of electricity that is bought from the City.</p><p>Solar PV is one form of Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG). SSEG refers to systems generating less than 1MVA that are connected to the City's electricity grid.</p><p>Solar PV is suitable for any place where there is a good solar resource and electricity is already used including residential, commercial and industrial areas. </p><p>All solar PV systems installed within the City of Cape Town electricity supply area must be registered for authorisation.</p> <span> <h2 class="sectHeading">Choosing a solar PV system</h2></span> <p>There are two types of solar PV systems to choose from.</p><h4>Grid-tied SSEG systems</h4><p>These are connected to the City's electricity grid either directly or through your property's internal wiring. There are two types of grid-tied systems.</p><ul><li> <strong>Grid-tied feed-in </strong> <strong>system </strong>(also known as an SSEG with export option): the electricity generated by the PV system is used on the property. Excess electricity generated from the system is fed back into the electricity grid - you may receive credit from the City.</li><li> <strong>Grid-</strong><strong>tied non-feed-in PV </strong>(also known as an SSEG without export option, with reverse power flow blocking): the electricity generated by the PV system is used on the property only when there is a demand for it. Excess electricity generated is blocked from feeding back into the grid.</li></ul><h4>Off-grid or standalone SSEG systems</h4><p>These systems have no connection to the grid. They are physically separated and electrically isolated from the grid. An example would be connecting a pool pump directly to a solar PV system instead of connecting it to the building's wiring. </p><p>Off-grid systems must also be registered with the City to ensure they are not mistaken for grid-tied systems. See the <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Graphics%20and%20educational%20material/CCT-Energy-PV-Brochure.pdf" target="_blank">Rooftop PV Guidelines for Safe and Legal installation in Cape Town</a> for more information about different kinds of PV systems.</p> <span> <h2 class="sectHeading">Register your solar PV system</h2></span> <p>All solar PV systems installed within the City's electricity supply area must be authorised by us.</p><p>See our useful guideline documents below:</p><ul><li> <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Procedures%2c%20guidelines%20and%20regulations/Requiremenst%20for%20Samll-Scale%20Embedded%20Generation.pdf" target="_blank">Requirements for Small-scale Embedded Generation</a></li><li> <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Graphics%20and%20educational%20material/CCT-Energy-PV-Brochure.pdf" target="_blank">Guidelines for Safe and Legal PV installation in Cape Town</a></li></ul><p>Registration is legally required in terms of the <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Bylaws%20and%20policies/Electricity%20Supply%20By-law.pdf" target="_blank">City of Cape Town Electricity Supply By-Law, 2010 </a>and ensures the safety of anyone who comes into contact with the PV system or the grid itself.</p><p>Registration also makes sure that all those who are using electricity from the grid pay for their usage accordingly. Running your meter backwards or avoiding paying your share of the grid upkeep is illegal and puts greater strain on the rest of the city.</p> <span> <div class="notification with-heading white-copy yellow bg-darker-grey"><div class="graphic"> <i class="info citycard"></i></div><div class="desc"><h4>City Connect</h4><p> <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Apply/Municipal-services/Electricity/apply-for-authorisation-to-install-a-small-scale-embedded-generation-system">Apply for authorisation to install a small-scale embedded generation system</a></p></div></div></span> <p> <strong>An unauthorised PV system can:</strong></p><ul><li>Increase the risk of fire and other hazards</li><li>Result in injury or death, especially if it is still feeding onto the grid during a power outage. The property owner will be at risk of legal recourse under Occupational Health and Safety laws.</li><li>Cause quality and sustainability problems with the electricity grid, specifically from unknown capacity and schedules of all generation on the network. This information is needed in order to maintain the balance of load and electricity quality. </li></ul> <span> <h2 class="sectHeading">How do I sell my excess energy back to the City?</h2></span> <p>Most of the electricity generated by a grid-tied feed-in system is consumed onsite. Sometimes, more electricity is generated than consumed. In this case, a limited amount of power is allowed to flow back onto the electricity grid and your electricity account is credited at the <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Financial%20documents/Electricity%20Consumptive%20Tariffs.pdf" target="_blank">SSEG tariff</a>. Over a 12-month period, all properties with SSEG systems must be 'net consumers' which means that they consume more power than they generate.</p>

Improve overall energy efficiency in your home through solar energy such as water heaters, solar geysers and rooftop panels.

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