Best Policy Practices

Best Policy Practices
Solar Water Heater By-Law
City of Cape Town, South Africa
A project to install solar water heaters in
10% of houses by 2010 and in 50% by 2020.
Name of policy: Solar Water Heater By-Law
Lead institution: City of Cape Town
Other institutions: Sustainable Energy Africa
Timeline: 2004 – 2007
Status: Work in progress, on track to be adopted in July 2007
Main objectives
• Substantially reduce electricity consumption in
the residential sector
• Improve Cape Town’s energy security
• Reduce Cape Town’s greenhouse gas emissions
Proposed implementation: The installation of solar water
heaters will be required in:
• All new buildings built in the city from the date of enactment,
except for in industrial buildings which require a water
temperature higher than that which a solar water heater can
provide, and in any privately funded residential building
which is below the current subsidy level (approx. R3600)
• All existing buildings in the city, where additions are made
which require the use of hot water (e.g. new kitchens, bathrooms)
from the date of enactment.
Benefits: The By-Law is the implementation mechanism to assist
in meeting the target of the City’s Energy and Climate
Change Strategy, of having 10% of houses fitted with solar
water heaters by 2010 and 50% by 2020.
In South Africa, the residential sector uses 17% of electricity
consumed. The largest consumer of electricity in the
residential sector is the electric water heater. It makes up 40
– 50% of the total electricity used in a household (or 8% of
the country’s energy consumption).
Using a solar water heater is a way to reduce this energy
by half or more. By replacing the conventional geyser with a
solar water heating system, a large portion (60%) of water
heating costs can be saved. This amounts to 40% of the electricity
bill and a reduction of household carbon dioxide emis-
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