Thanks to its Residential Solar Water Heater Accreditation Programme, the City of Cape Town is able to speed up the roll-out of High Pressure Solar Water Heaters (HPSWH) to local residents. Through the programme, the city aims to encourage residents with electric geysers to switch to solar geysers, thereby reducing their energy consumption while also preserving the environment.

According to research, there are approximately 220 000 electric hot water cylinders in use in private properties across Cape Town. It is estimated that between 60 000 to 150 000 HPSWH will be installed over the next five years. The innovative accreditation programme should make it easier and more affordable for residents with electric geysers to switch to renewable energy. Another benefit of the programme is that residents are now able to easily find a City-accredited solar water heater installer, who has gone through a careful screening process. In addition, some major banks and financial institutions have agreed to support the City’s programme by offering finance for HPSWH to qualifying consumers.

The City of Cape Town has made ‘Energy for a Sustainable City’ one of its eight strategic focus areas in its Integrated Development Plan. Heating water with an electric geyser is the largest consumer of electricity in a typical Cape Town household, while residential electricity consumption is responsible for a massive 43% of total electricity consumption in the City. A solar water heater can cut the overall electricity bill by an impressive one-third or more.