South Africa solar power: Pay-as-you-go system helps save lives

BBC News

6 days ago

South African Mark Moodley believes that installing a domestic solar power system has helped keep his 81-year-old mother alive.She spent three weeks in intensive care last year, and now back at home in Benoni, east of Johannesburg, she needs an oxygen concentrator to help her breathe.But the country's erratic electricity supply meant could not be relied on."There were days we'd be without power for six hours. I had to use a car battery to run her oxygen tank, but that didn't last long and you'd have to sit with her with her arms raised to try and get oxygen into her lungs," Mr Moodley tells the BBC."Sometimes we had to rush her to hospital when that didn't work. It was scary." Back then, doctors told the family she might not have long to live. But a steady power supply has given them more time together."It's been a lifesaver. I don't have to check on her constantly through the night. I know her oxygen tank has power no matter what," he says, voice trembling.Despite recent improvements in South Africa's power grid, there are still outages.Having a steady electricity supply has become a privilege in the country, which has endured nearly 15 years of "load-shedding" - scheduled nationwide blackouts introduced to ease pressure on the fragile infrastructure.As well as endangering some lives, the crisis has damaged economic growth and contributed to job losses.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 2019For 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."In terms of efficiency, they perform about as well as traditional panels."The energy unit, including an inverter, which converts the power generated by the panels into useable electricity, and a battery that works when the sun is not shining, is secured in a large steel box weighing about 300kg that bolts onto a wall.The team says this reduces the risk of theft and avoids drawing attention in high-crime areas.
Shopkeeper Julius Koobetseng recently made the switch to solar that may have saved his small grocery store.In a grey beanie hat and thick blue jacket to ward off the cold in the southern Hemisphere winter, he stacks cans of drink in a brightly lit fridge remembering how the frequent power cuts nearly wrecked his livelihood."Meat would go off, dairy would spoil. Sometimes we'd be without power for four days," the 43-year-old says.But since March, his shop in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg, has been using the pay-as-you-go solar power system to keep the lights and fridges on.Some small business owners have turned to back-up diesel generators but Mr Koobetseng, who has had his shop for the past 13 years, was drawn to the more environmentally friendly option."Power cuts have badly affected small businesses. I know many in this area that had to shut down because they couldn't keep up with the uncertainty," he says."We live month-to-month, depending on what the business brings in. If you can't guarantee power, how do you even plan for the future?"Now he does not worry when the power goes out which has been "a huge relief".It costs his business $250 a month but Mr Koobetseng's business has picked up thanks to the reliable power."People know my shop stays open even when the power's out. Some just come to charge their appliances, but while they're here, they buy things too," he says with a smile.For him, the benefit is not about lowering his electricity bills. It is the consistency."Solar gave me back control. I can plan my day knowing I'll have power."
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