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Solar Water Heater Programme Update

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The Solar Water Heater (SWH) programme was moved from the control of Eskom to the Department of Energy. The DoE has now issued it’s transitional arrangements for the implementation of the national solar water heater programme.

With effect from 2 February 2015 the Department has made a capped number of subsidies available of 5 000.

The number of subsidies is based on the past performance of the partial rebate programme under Eskom with around 2,000 monthly installations over the past nine months. No further subsidies will be available under this programme once this cap is exceeded.

The latest Eskom rebate levels, together with the payment services offered by Eskom (through Deloitte), will remain unchanged.

The Department has developed an electronic data collection and verification system, and from now on it will be mandatory that all claims under this programme have to be uploaded on the a DoE system. A detailed electronic record relating to any installation will contain a photograph, GPS coordinate, name of product supplier and installer, product size and name of beneficiary, as a minimum.

Going forward a new rebate scheme will be introduced and subsidies will be offered with considerations regarding local content. A sliding scale commensurate with local content will apply and products with the highest verified local content will attract the highest rebates.

From February 2015 onwards the Department will provide participants with training on the mandatory verification it has developed.

The failed electric geyser market will be leveraged to accelerate the installation of SWH systems, particularly in the high electricity consumption sector.

The social programme for fully-rebated SWH systems is intended to provide an environmentally benign energy source for residential water heating purposes, irrespective of the impact on the electricity grid. The Department sponsored SABS verification process as prescribed under SABS: SATS 1286, has been completed in respect of all product offerings that were submitted to the Department.

Only those products that have met the SABS verification requirements will be elegible for receiving subsidies under the social programme.

Information regarding the registration of product suppliers, installation companies, etc. wishing to participate in the social programme will be issued by the Department not later than 31 March 2015.

Related: Solar PV

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.