Sunday, January 27, 2008

Government declares war on power wastage

....Incandescent lights will be replaced by more efficient compact fluorescent lights. The government wants to get a million solar water heaters into homes, institutions and businesses, with subsidies of 20 percent to 30 percent depending on the cost of the units, which can be R7 000 to R20 000.Housing laws will change so all new houses must have solar water heating with electric geysers as a back-up, and switches to stop geysers and stoves being on at the same time. Insulation for ceilings, geysers and windows will be required.Smart meters will eventually be rolled out, allowing Eskom and municipalities to switch off remotely all geysers, laundry appliances, pool pumps and other appliances during peak demand. Government concessions will be issued to businesses to promote the sale and use of gas, mainly to domestic users for cooking.The lights are expected to save 800MW, the solar water heating 650MW, the smart meters 3 265MW and the move to gas 500MW. The government will also spend R400-million to convert all traffic lights and public lights to solar power with battery back up.Motorway lights will be shut down. Small airports will be turned off at night. The entire hospitality industry will have to change water heating to solar power, with electric back-up....




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