NATIONAL ASSEMBLY QUESTION 2376.
Dr G W Koornhof (ANC) to ask the Minister of Energy:
Whether (a) her department and (b) the entities reporting to her have
implemented any energy-saving (i) practices or (ii) devices for
buildings, offices and boardrooms in the 2010-11 financial year; if
not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in
each case? NW2758E
Reply
a) The department is responsible for an energy efficiency programme
that is funded from the fiscus, to institute various energy
efficiency measures through municipalities and Eskom.
i) The measures include the retrofitting of incandescent
lighting with more efficient light fittings (compact
fluorescent lights for residential consumers, solar water
heating, light emitting diodes for traffic lights, etc.).
In terms of this programme, municipalities and Eskom have
to motivate the EE intervention in (i) relation to the
energy saving impact of the technology.
ii) The retrofitting of buildings with EE measures like motion
detectors, efficient lighting systems, improved insulation,
efficient heating and ventilation systems, also takes place
in municipal buildings under this programme. The Department
of Public Works, as the government asset manager, has also
initiated an energy efficiency programme for public
buildings under their jurisdiction.
b) Over the past 3 years approximately R300m has been disbursed to
Eskom and municipalities for this purpose. Over and above this
funding, Eskom also provides additional funding from the
electricity tariff, in terms of which solar water heating is
provided to households. This reduces the demand for electricity,
and it is estimated that approximately 30% of the electricity
bill can be saved through this intervention. As at June 2011,
approximately 115 000 solar water heating units had been
installed in various households across the country. Whilst the
programme has achieved a level of scale in the low-income
segment, the high income segment has not taken the solar water
heater opportunity to the same level. There are still challenges
relating to the capital cost of the solar water units, relative
to the savings that would result from its installation. The
department is finalizing a funding model that will increase the
uptake of the units, without depending entirely of fiscal
subsidies. Through this scheme (called the standard offer
programme or SOP) the localization of the units will be a
condition for participation by suppliers.[pic]