MOSSEL BAY NEWS - In another first for Mossel Bay, the possibility of becoming self-sufficient in providing for the town's energy needs will be investigated.
On Monday morning the executive mayor and his mayoral committee asked the municipal manager, Adv Thys Giliomee, and his directorate to investigate the possibility or the Mossel Bay Municipality to be less dependent on the Eskom grid.
Energy insecurity, based on the renewed threat of load shedding
In December 2019 South Africa suffered the largest rolling power blackouts in its history after more than a quarter of the generating capacity at its troubled electricity provider broke down. Economists have since warned that South Africa could enter its second recession in as many years in 2020 because of the power cuts.
The need, therefore, to safeguard the local economy has become very real.
The imminent drastic and continuing escalation of electricity prices is deemed a very real threat to the municipality's efforts to attract investment and employment opportunities to the town.
The municipality is exploring various economic development opportunities to grow the local economy.
The sustainable and, eventually more affordable, supply of power across the energy spectrum, including green energy and gas, is deemed a competitive advantage that will attract both local and international investment.
"Mossel Bay has for some time mooted the establishment of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Positioning Mossel Bay as an SEZ would be of great strategic benefit to not only the greater municipal area but also the region as there is no SEZ between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
"Considering the town's infrastructure, such as the harbour, airstrip, and proximity to the George Airport, the well-maintained local road infrastructure, and national highway, Mossel Bay is ideal for establishing an SEZ," municipal spokesperson Colin Puren said.
Local businesses support the proposal of SEZ
However, international investors will not invest if the Mossel Bay SEZ cannot guarantee sustainable and affordable energy. The growing national demands for higher and escalating electricity tariffs are seen as a potential threat to local economic development that the municipality can effectively counter through self-sustainability.
The Mossel Bay SEZ would be unique as it would benefit from the oil, gas and related product industries, as well as from waste reduction and recycling, considering the proximity of the planned regional waste site.
Therein lies the opportunity for the municipality to become less dependent on the national electricity provider.
Mossel Bay Municipality has proven experience in employing green energy. The two offices of the Infrastructure Services Department recently implemented a 20kWp rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system when 81 installed solar panels were activated.
These offices now use the sun to generate sufficient electricity to run the offices and state-of-the-art equipment and systems used to ensure that the town's electricity, water supply, and sewerage systems operate optimally. To promote greater energy efficiency and the use of green energy, the infrastructure department took the lead to install systems that will eventually not only promote energy self-sustainability across all of the municipality's various buildings, but allow for surplus electricity to be exported (sold back) into the grid.
The local economy faces both the insecurity of PetroSA's future on the one hand and the excitement of the offshore exploration for gas and condensates with the Brulpadda and Paddavissie prospects in the Outeniqua Basin, 175km off Mossel Bay.
The challenge is to investigate the viability of the municipality being able to produce sustainable energy through several alternative sources including wind, gas and solar, that are economically viable to make Mossel Bay less dependent, if not independent of the national electricity provider.
It is envisaged that the town's load demand growth will escalate to approximately 100 MW within the next ten years.
Potential investors may be attracted by the proven track record of Mossel Bay Municipality, recognised as the best municipality in South Africa.
Being able to guarantee sustainable, uninterrupted and more affordable energy, along with the municipality's strong client-focused and service orientated approach, will provide the unique strategic advantage necessary to cement sustainable investment.
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