25-08 - Flipbook - Page 15
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South Africa is heavily reliant on highly polluting coal for its power - it
accounts for around 80% of all electricity generated. But in recent years it
has loosened restrictions on small-scale solar generation and created tax
incentives for installation.
The country is also looking for more investment in renewable energy in order
to aid the switch from coal.
Domestically, those with financial means have gradually taken their homes
and businesses off-grid, investing in solar power systems that require an
initial outlay of $14,000- $19,600 (£10,400-£14,500).
That price tag means that this option is far out of the reach of most South
Africans. Those scraping by cannot take advantage of the country's
sunshine and invest in clean, reliable energy.
But Mr Moodley was able to turn to a pay-as-you-go scheme that has kept
the lights on and the medical equipment working.
His electricity bill has dropped by $80 a week - savings he hopes to use to
expand what he has and eventually go completely off-grid.
The system he uses comes from Wetility, a local start-up founded in 2019
For domestic users, the most basic package costs $60 a month - and
crucially no prohibitive up-front payment - making solar power more
accessible.
The company says it identified a gap in the market - affordable solar
solutions tailored to small businesses and low-income households.
"South Africa has traditionally had high electricity access - but access
means nothing if the power isn't reliable or affordable," says Vincent
Maposa, the company's founder and a former energy analyst.
"We had to develop products that are both fit-for-purpose and financially
accessible."
While solar power is not new in South Africa, Wetility's business model
includes a mobile-phone style monthly payment plan, allowing customers
to spread out the cost.
For years, load-shedding has been used as a last-ditch attempt to keep the
national grid from total collapse, following decades of mismanagement at
state utility Eskom.
While blackouts have eased for some urban centres, poorer communities
and business people continue to suffer forced cuts as aging infrastructure
struggles to meet the growing demand.
For some in the townships worries about theft and practicality have also
deterred people from getting solar equipment, but Wetility has also
designed lightweight, flexible panels that can be fitted on the fragile
rooftops common in many of these areas.
"We came up with a thin-film panel that sticks onto the roof. If
someone tries to peel it off, it tears and becomes valueless. That was
important for areas where theft is a concern," says Mr Maposa.
