Working with Municipalities

Providing electrification to rural households is a challenge for all municipalities, where the costs of providing the service significantly exceed revenue generated.

As an example, for rural communities in eThekwini Metro, it costs them R16,000 to connect a single home or community building to the grid, for this service they only charge R400.

Even after connections are made cables are then regularly vandalized or stolen, meaning that it is impossible to provide a consistent level of service.

If rural communities are electrified via mini grids, powered by solar and supported by mobile energy storage, this can ensure that all households have access to affordable electricity.

Within the community, access to affordable electricity will in turn stimulate economic activity, which will allow households to afford to use more electricity, revenue can be partly used to expand the local grid.

Local grids can be operated by social enterprises which provide jobs and training, working in partnership with municipalities to deliver a better South Africa.