SEA has received funding from the Energy and Environment Partnership Programme (EEP) to provide one year’s worth of support to the City of Cape Town in bringing its solar water heater (SWH) rollout plans to fruition. Two programmes are planned:

1. A mid- to high-income programme that will make SWHs available to rate-paying households on a monthly repayment basis, where the repayment will be less than the electricity saved through the installation. It is anticipated that 300,000 SWHs will be rolled out in Cape Town’s mid- to high-income market segment in the next 5 years through this system, with the programme launching in September 2012.

2. A low-income programme, to be launched in April 2012, which will partner with Eskom’s free SWH rollout project. It is anticipated than 100,000 SWHs will be installed in the next 2-3 years in Cape Town’s low-income households.

Key milestones in the mid- to high-income programme:

• Getting project go-ahead from all key City departments by developing a business plan that ensures that any risk to the City is being managed correctly

• Developing a system to utilise the City billing process for SWH debt collection

• Drawing up and releasing a two-phase Request for Proposal process to appoint SWH implementing agents

• Evaluating and appointing implementing agents

• Arranging concessional financing for City-appointed implementing agents

• Managing the programme to ensure a quality SWH service is being provided

Key milestones in the low-income programme:

• Arranging a partnership between Eskom’s low-pressure SWH rollout programme and the City to ensure equitable allocation and installation of SWHs in the City