The South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) and the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) are renewing their previously signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) to encourage and facilitate a process in which each party will use their resources to find solutions to the challenges of load shedding.
In this partnership, SAPVIA will provide SAPOA members with periodic insights on the state of the South African photovoltaic (PV) market and new technical developments including high level technical advice on embedded and storage solutions, electricity wheeling developments, regulatory developments and general PV market developments and trends.
In turn, SAPOA will provide the high-level information that SAPVIA members require to design and install embedded, and other, PV solutions, such as the amount of roof-top and parking space available for installing embedded PV solutions across South Africa.
SAPOA CEO Neil Gopal says their members have access to roofs and parking areas on their properties, providing space for installing embedded PV solutions. “It is envisaged that this resource will help alleviate the impact of the load shedding programme by Eskom,” he says.
SAPOA and SAPVIA have also agreed to facilitate contact with their members to promote embedded PV solutions to improve supply security.
The two associations will also share other necessary information, subject to confidentiality. They will also develop a programme to jointly communicate and promote their collaborative relationship and the ongoing outcomes.
“The impact of load shedding on businesses in South Africa cannot be overstated. Businesses of all sizes have been affected. The interruption of the electricity supply has led to a loss of productivity, damage to equipment, and financial losses,” says SAPVIA CEO Dr Rethabile Melamu.
“We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with SAPOA and tapping into roof and property spaces, and believe it is this kind of active participation and partnership approach that will ultimately lead to a real and sustainable solution to our country’s energy problems.”
