City calls on suppliers of residential solar water heaters to apply for accreditation City launches service provider accreditation programme as a step towards making it quicker and easier for residents to switch to a solar water heater. Read more below: The City of Cape Town is launching the Residential Solar Water Heater Accreditation Programme to assist with the faster roll-out of residential High Pressure Solar Water Heaters (HP-SWH) and to encourage mid-to-high income residents to reduce their consumption of electricity and move towards the use of renewable energy. The first component of the programme is to accredit SWH service providers so as to improve consumer confidence in the industry. It will also facilitate affordable finance for HP-SWH purchases through monthly installments. One of the criteria for the selection of suppliers relates to the stimulation and growth of local HP-SWH component manufacturing capacity and job creation in the Western Cape. A multi-year social marketing campaign will educate residents on the benefits of HP-SWHs and increase consumer demand. The City will operate a SWH Programme Management and Liaison Unit to ensure quality standards are maintained and to assist in the resolution of any disputes between consumers and suppliers, should these arise. Prior to the commencement of the programme, prospective customer perceptions, levels of awareness, and knowledge and attitudes towards SWHs, were tested. The survey was conducted across LSM 7 – 10 and indicated the following: • 85,9% of residents know that a SWH can save them money; • 67,9% want a SWH; • 50,5% are likely to buy one in the next one to three years. The survey also highlighted the fact that there was a 34,4% level of confidence in SWH installers and 31,4% was the highest that respondents ranked the ease of finding the right installer. “This indicated to us that the City needs a programme that will make it easy, quick and affordable for residents to switch to a SWH. Positively, the majority of the respondents (71,7%) indicated that they would most trust the City of Cape Town to endorse a list of accredited suppliers of SWHs, hence the accreditation system and the establishment of the SWH Programme Management and Liaison Unit by the City,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic, Environmental and Spatial Planning, Councillor Garreth Bloor. SWH service providers are invited to a pre-launch briefing session on Monday 29 July 2013 at 09:30 at Old Mutual in Pinelands. Booking is essential for confirmation of seating and catering. To book a space at the briefing or for further details, and for application materials, please call 021487 2010, e-mail [email protected] or visit SavingElectricity.org.za/SWHServiceProviders Applications from SWH service providers open on 1 August 2013 and close at 12:00 on 30 August 2013. Background information Promoting energy efficiency and the green economy are key objectives in the City’s Integrated Development Plan, as part of our commitment to being an Opportunity Caring City. The City’s Electricity Saving Campaign and SWH programme are significant steps towards achieving these objectives. The City’s Electricity Saving Campaign has been underway for the past three years. Research showed that there was an urgent need to change consumer behaviour in the use of electricity in Cape Town households due to the limitations of supply, sharply increasing costs, and environmental issues (Cape Town’s high carbon footprint). In response, electricity saving tips were developed for implementation through a social marketing campaign targeting mid-to-high income residential households in the city; while the commercial sector was targeted through the Energy Efficiency Forum. In the residential sector, a most recent focus is the “Invest to Save” component of the campaign, which promotes installation of insulation, as well as specifically encouraging the installation of High-Pressure Solar Water Heaters. The Electricity Saving Campaign was researched and developed by the City’s Environmental Resource Management Department in collaboration with the City’s Communication Department and Electricity Services Department, and supported by Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) and the University of Cape Town. The City’s SWH programme has received support from the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership and funding from the United Nations Environment Programme (raised by SEA). For more information about ways to save electricity at home, please visit: savingelectricity.org.za End Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town Media enquiries: Councillor Garreth Bloor, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic, Environmental, and Spatial Planning, City of Cape Town, Tel: Tel: 021 400 1375 or Cell: 082 722 2685, Email: [email protected]
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:05:55 +0000
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