Bay electricity consumers the first to go green MyZA

Nelson Mandela Bay residents are the first in South Africa to be able connect their renewable energy systems to the national electricity grid.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has partnered with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to approve systems up to 100kW to be grid connected.

By being grid connected, homeowners and businesses can benefit from reduced electricity bills. Depending on electricity consumption and energy produced, each installation will reap varying cost savings.

As an example, a typical South African home consumes on average 285kWh per person, per month. Based on an average family of four, this is 1,140kWh/month. Based on the average Port Elizabeth wind speed of five metres per second, the popular Kestrel e160i can produce 333kWh/monthly and two solar panels will produce 1,800kWh/month, so home owners will not need to purchase electricity, and saving R1,373/month.

Leon Gouws, Sales and Marketing Director of Port Elizabeth’s Kestrel Renewable Energy explained the importance of this development: “While globally, grid connection of renewable energy sources is not uncommon, this is a South African first. The scheme has the potential to significantly impact both the cost of electricity as well as the ability to go green, but to also become self-sufficient and feed-in green energy to the grid.

“Every site has a unique optimum combination of green energy sources such as solar and wind. A professionally designed and correctly installed solution should allow the household or small business to generate its own green energy only using Eskom power when the alternative energy sources are insufficient.”