Cape Town Pioneers Green Energy Transmission

The City of Cape Town made history as its energy grid wheeled the first electrons of renewable energy in alliance with Growthpoint Properties (JSE: GRT) and licenced electricity trader, Etana Energy. The clean, green energy was produced and sold via a complex and contemporary process known as ‘wheeling’.

The principle behind 'wheeling' is the purchase and sale of electricity between private parties. The entire process works with the existing grid, which facilitates power transport from the point of generation to end-users, regardless of the distance. This advancement would not only contribute heavily to mitigating South Africa's energy crisis but would also provide a broader access to affordable renewable energy.

Following the successful implementation of this initiative as part of the City’s wheeling pilot project, solar energy produced at Growthpoint’s The Constantia Village shopping centre is now being exported via Cape Town’s electricity grid to Growthpoint’s 36 Hans Strijdom office building, the headquarters of Investec and Ninety One.

Last August, a wheeling agreement was inked between the City and Growthpoint. In a significant milestone for Cape Town, solar power from The Constantia Village was successfully integrated into the City’s energy grid for the first time on Sunday.

The six-month pilot project, consisting of 15 wheeling participants overseeing 25 generators and 40 customers, is set to lay a substantial groundwork for future wheeling arrangements in Cape Town.

Cape Town’s future-oriented strategies to put an end to load-shedding include wheeling electricity, collaborating with independent power producers, incentivising households and businesses for power generated by solar PV, optimising the Steenbras Hydropower plant, and implementing the ‘Power Heroes’ scheme which urges households to cut down on energy demand.