1. Conduct a home energy audit to identify areas of improvement.
2. Pinpoint energy inefficiencies and make informed decisions for optimization.
3. Explore solar, wind, or other renewable energy sources.
4. Reduce energy consumption while enjoying the latest technology.
5. Invest in smart home devices for energy monitoring and control.
6. Preventive measures extend the lifespan of equipment and reduce energy waste.

As we embark on this journey into 2024, let’s commit to energy-conscious living. By implementing these sustainable practices, you’re not only contributing to a healthier environment but also creating a more energy-efficient and cost-effective home.

The post New Year, New Energy Goals and Sustainable 2024 appeared first on Powertime.

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Commit to minimizing waste and adopting a more sustainable lifestyle.
• Energy-Saving Practices: Implement simple energy-saving habits at home, such as turning off lights and appliances when not in use.
• Explore Renewable Energy Options: Research and consider incorporating renewable energy solutions into your daily life.

Additional Tips:

• Invest in energy-efficient home insulation for better temperature control.
• Support local farmers and markets to reduce the carbon footprint of your food.
• Join or initiate community clean-up efforts to contribute to a cleaner environment.

Charge into a greener 2024 by flipping the switch on energy waste. With mindful electricity resolutions, we brighten our path to a sustainable future. Let’s make each watt count in the new year!

The post New Year, New Energy Goals for a Greener 2024 appeared first on Powertime.

1.Embracing Renewable Energy

In September, South Africa is turning to cleaner options like solar and wind power. These renewable projects are not just diversifying energy sources but also decreasing reliance on traditional fossil fuels.

2. Tackling Load Shedding Creatively

The fight against load shedding continues, and September introduces fresh solutions. From advanced energy storage to smarter demand management, inventive approaches aim to minimize the impact of power interruptions.

3. Power to the People

This month, local communities are taking control of their energy destiny. Initiatives such as community solar projects empower residents to generate their own power, promoting ownership and sustainability.

4. Government Pushes for Energy Efficiency

The government is stepping up efforts to encourage energy efficiency this September. Incentive programs inspire businesses and households to adopt energy-saving tech, leading to lower energy usage and bills.

5. Digital Solutions for Wider Access

September sees digital innovations bridging energy gaps. Mobile payment platforms and smart meter systems are extending electricity access, especially in underserved areas, illuminating homes that were once in darkness.

Amidst these shifts, September shines a hopeful light on South Africa’s energy landscape. The adoption of renewables, inventive load shedding solutions, community-driven initiatives, governmental support for efficiency, and digital strides collectively steer the nation toward a greener and more sustainable energy future.

The post From Blackouts to Brightness Transforming South Africa’s Electricity! appeared first on Powertime.

Solar panels also known as photovoltaic panels are used to convert the energy created from the sun into electricity that eventually can be used to power electrical loads.

How does it work?

Simply, the solar panels are composed of photovoltaic cells (PV cells), so when the energy coming from the sun is in contact with the solar panel, the PV cells collected that energy and transform it into electrical charges which are collected by the electrical fields install inside the panel, causing the electricity to flow.

Advantages of using solar panels

1. Drastically reduce or eliminate your electricity bills

By using natural energy, you are reducing or eliminating the use of electricity provided by your utility.

2. Renewable source of energy

Because solar energy is dependent on the sun’s energy. It’s considered to be a source of renewable energy, which implies that unlike other sources of energy, with solar energy you cannot run out of electricity.

3. Cheaper to maintain

Even though they seem too pricey to install, they are cheaper to maintain as they don’t require to be constantly clean.

4. Contribution to a healthy ecosystem

As solar panels collect pure energy from the sun, investing in solar panels helps to contribute to the positive ecosystem (Essentially this means that solar panels are environmentally friendly products and will not harm the planet). It helps to fight the emissions of greenhouse gas and slowly reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.

5. Ability to store the power collected for later

Solar panels usually are installed with solar batteries that help you to store the power generated during a certain time and to use it later on.

Disadvantages of using solar panels

   1. Costly

Yes, buying solar panels seems to be expensive due to the different materials that need to be installed with them. Because it’s an energy that is still developing and promising a bright future, the price will decrease in the nearest future.

2. Not fully reliable/ Weather dependent

Because solar panels are dependable on sunshine, the weather plays a big role in their functionality. So basically, the solar panel requires sunny weather to be functional.

3. Installation area

When it comes to the installation of solar panels, the available space or area is really important and needs to be considered a priority, solar panels are in terms of size really large products and due to the different materials and sizes that need to be installed with it, the available space is really important.

The post The alternative of the future: Solar panels appeared first on Powertime.

Since the beginning of the fall season in South Africa, Eskom has implemented the load-shedding festival due to the different incident that has been happening during the past few weeks, such as:

1. The sabotage of the cable stations

Since 2021 Eskom has been facing sabotage of its cables in different places within the country, the most recent occurred in Mpumalanga at the Hendrina station. Investigations have been conducted but with no concrete  outcome; and these sabotages cause instability in Eskom to provide electricity.

2. The continued shortage of generation capacity

Probably the primordial cause of the load-shedding in South Africa is the shortage of generation capacity, due to the different power stations not working and Eskom is unable to provide enough capacity.

Eskom provided an estimated value of 4,000 – 6,000 MW of additional capacity needed to properly maintain its power stations.  Another 14,500 megawatts of capacity is currently unavailable due to the multiple breakdowns of the generation.

3. The coal quality

The quality of coal plays an important role in the generation of electricity in the different power stations. For quite a few years now, there is an ongoing issue with the quality of coal provided by several syndicates and other suppliers, such as “Exxaro and Seriti” which are the largest suppliers of coal to Eskom, by roughly providing 80% of coal/year to Eskom.

According to the expert Chris Yelland, suppliers are unable to keep up with the expected quality of coal requested due to the constant demand that keeps on increasing. The bad quality of coal, impacted the production as workers have to manually remove ash and other elements in the units stuck in the pipework, which cause delays and affects the different stations.

4. The Inadequate level of skills and inadequate availability of skills

One of the biggest challenges that South Africa is facing is a lack of skills, and Eskom has also been impacted by the wave, as there are challenges with a lack of engineering and technical skills and experience in the industry. According to Pravin Gordhan, In order to solve the issue, Eskom has launched a training program to upgrade the skills and abilities of its workers.

In conclusion,

With the demand that keeps on increasing, it’s now challenging to constantly supply enough electricity to the entire country. In order to match the demand, Eskom has no order choice but to reimplement the load-shedding period with different stages based on the current events and demand in the market. With the fall season that has started, we might face a long period in the dark as demand tends to increase. It’s not yet clear when the issues will be fixed and also when load-shedding will be definitely suspended, but according to the Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha, Eskom’s users can help the entity in reducing stages but reducing electricity usage, which can potentially help in suspending the load-shedding.

The post The launch of the Eskom Load-shedding rocket appeared first on Powertime.

South Africans have again been cautioned to become acclimated to control power outages for essentially the following 5 years.

The force utility executed stage two burden shedding as it battles to recuperate from various breakdowns.

Energy expert Ted Blom blames Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter: Eighteen months ago, he said he would have all the plants refurbished and that load shedding would end. Earlier this year, he has come out to say he is not going to spend that money on refurbishing the plants and it would be a better investment to put into renewable. Blom accepts the accentuation on renewable was misguided: “It is far and away more terrible because, with renewable, they are discussing battery stockpiling. there is no utility size battery stockpiling plants accessible any place on the planet. No nation is running battery stockpiling as reinforcement.”

As load shedding was implemented the last few days, Eskom could conduct some repairs to generating units and the maintenance programme proceed. Despite the fact that they were not able to replenish emergency generation reserves, but could reply on support system.

There are still risks to some generating units, which will pressurize Eskom to implement load shedding at short notice. Electricity still needs to be used sparingly to prevent possibility of load shedding. we also have to note that water pumps are also connected to electricity that supply water to the community meaning water can also be affected by load shedding.

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JOHANNESBURG – The City of Johannesburg on Thursday said exactly that as it was aware of the intense monetary environment and pressure on residents, its rates and assessment increments increases effectively one week from now were directed by expanding operating costs

Electricity rates are now up by 14.59%, followed by sanitation and water tariffs by 6.8%. Refusal removal rates are up by 4.3% whole property rate increased by 2%.

The high power climb is connected to the energy controller Nersa giving Eskom the go-ahead to charge clients and municipality more.

City Power’s Frank Hinda said: “We’re also on the receiving end as far as this is concerned. We’re cushioning the customer given that our increase from Eskom is higher.”

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods of Johannesburg residents. This has seen many people struggling to keep up with their municipal accounts as you would all have seen. This has subsequently affected the collection of municipal rates and taxes that are a source of revenue for continued service delivery.”

Hinda said he understood that the 14.59% power climb passed on  to clients would hit residents pockets hard given the current monetary environment.

The average electricity user – prepaid or conventional – consuming 800 kilowatt-hours a month – can expect to fork out somewhere in the range  R200 and R260 more a month.

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President Ramaphosa said the decision followed a broad public interview and a lot of specialized work embraced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. He said it would build the National Energy Regulator of SA’s authorizing edge for inserted age projects from 1MW to 100MW.

The changed guidelines will absolve age projects up to 100MW from the Nersa authorizing necessity, regardless of whether they are associated with the matrix.

This will eliminate a critical hindrance to interest in inserted age projects.

Ramaphosa’s declaration comes as the economy is wrestling with power outages after power provider Eskom inclined up its rotational burden shedding to Stage 4 because of consistent breakdowns.

The business has been requiring the public authority to expand the limit on inserted power age from 1MW to 50MW.

“It also demonstrates our commitment as the government to listen carefully to experts, to engage closely with our social partners, and to take on board new ideas to address our long-standing challenges,” he said.

Ramaphosa said that was a critical new advance in further transforming the power area towards accomplishing a steady and secure stock of energy.

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HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I AM GOING TO BE HIT BY LOAD SHEDDING?

The answer is very simple, know your power provider and check the correct load shedding schedules.

• City of Cape Town? Click here 
• Johannesburg? check here
• City of Tshwane? Click here
• City of Ekurhuleni? Check here
• Straight from Eskom? click here to check your load shedding schedule

For more information please check Energy expert Coalition by clicking here

Wondering how you can prepare for load shedding? 

Here are 7 simple ways to prepare for load shedding:

• Check your load shedding schedule regularly so you have enough time to prepare.
• Avoid power surges nuisance tripping: if you know that your area will be affected by Load shedding, switch off appliances, geysers, pool pumps, air conditioners, lights and other electrical equipment to reduce the risk of damage caused when the power comes back on.
• Use a solar geyser and also solar lamps when lights are out.
• Make sure your computer, laptop or phone is fully charged so you can still use them
• Draw some cash as the ATM will be offline
• Keep your bottles in the freezer so they are ice cold when load shedding starts.
• Prepare meals in advance as it is possible to wake up to no electricity and will be stuck to make breakfast or might not make it home in time to cook supper.

WHAT DOES THE DIFFERENT LOAD SHEDDING STAGES MEAN?

Stage 1: To keep the national grid stable, Eskom needs to shed 1000MW.

Stage 1 is the least disruptive of the schedules. Your area is likely to be hit Three times over a four-day period for 2 hours at a time or Three times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time

Stage 2:  To keep the national grid stable, Eskom needs to shed 2000MW

Stage 2 double the amount of the load shedding planned in stage 1 meaning your area is likely to be hit Six times over a four-day period for 2 hours at the time or Six times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time.

Stage 3: To keep the national grid stable, Eskom needs to shed at most 4000MW

Stage 3 increased by 50% of the amount of the load shedding planned in stage 2 meaning your area is likely to be hit Nine times over a four-day period for 2 hours at a time or Nine times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time.

Stage 4: To keep the national grid stable, Eskom needs to shed at least 4000MW

Stage 4 double the frequency of stage 2, meaning your area is likely to be hit Twelve times over a four-day period for 2 hours at a time or Twelve times over an eight-day period for 4 hours at a time.

The post Tips to prepare for load shedding appeared first on Powertime.

These value climbs are as of now sifting through to end-clients in various municipalities, as seen with ongoing value change notices from areas like the City of Joburg. The bank’s information shows that power spend is one of the biggest spend categories for section to working class clients, where the normal power spend by a client who holds its Entry Market bank account (Easy Account) increased by 9% (on average) between 2019 and 2020.

The normal month to month power spend by a centre market (Gold Account) client expanded by 15% while a mass-prosperous (Premier Account) client through 14% more on power a similar period. It added that clients routinely go to eBucks to enhance their power buys, utilizing R4.5 million worth of eBucks for power buys over a similar period.

“The reality is that all customers will need to factor a 15% increase on what they have been spending on electricity on a monthly basis, on account of a family spends generally R500 each month on power, that family needs to factor in any event an extra R75 to what they have been paying.

Fuel Price Increase

Drivers will likewise have to battle with higher fuel costs in April, with the cost of petrol now somewhere in the range of R1 and 95cents a litre more costly. The cost of 95 (ULP and LRP) went up R1 on Wednesday 7 April 2021, while the cost of 93 (ULP and LRP) climbed 95 cent a litre. In the interim, diesel (o,05% sulphur) increased by 65.20 cents a litre, while the cost of diesel (0,005% Sulphur) went up by 63.20 cents a litre.

Te cost of illuminating paraffin went up by 34.80 cents.The cost of illuminating paraffin (SMNRP) increased by 35 cents, while the greatest retail cost for LPGAS increased by 48 cents for each kilogram. With effect from 07 April 2021, the fuel levy in the price structure of petrol and diesel will therefore amount to 393 and 379 cents a litre respectively.

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