OPENING STATEMENT
This debate was a BBRA initiative to find out the thoughts and opinions of the ratepayers of Betty’s Bay regarding the minimising of the effects of power outages. This was not an instruction or a project; this was purely a fact-finding exercise.
We all would like a continuous electricity supply and have resorted to smart ways of achieving this on our own: some through installing solar, which has a limited capability, and some through fossil fuel generation, which also has its challenges.
As a community we must assist the OM in addressing the issues surrounding power outages and come up with ideas and answers together.
AIM
The aim of this correspondence is to inform home-owners, residents and the municipal planners as to what the collective in Betty’s Bay are thinking.
BACKGROUND
For many years now our secure and reliable power supply has been deteriorating slowly with no realistic end. It has upset the lifestyles of many and affected many livelihoods as a result.
OM has taken cognisance of this fact and is in a planning process to mitigate the effect Eskom has placed on us all.
We too can do certain things to help alleviate the demand for power from an ailing Eskom power grid and the Overstrand Municipality’s power supply system.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
- Load shedding is negatively affecting our way of life and plays havoc with our ability to do business.
- Some trends would indicate that there is no end to power outages and we are at a tipping point.
- The dependence on and control of a service provider over us is overwhelming at times.
- Cost to damaged appliances mount daily with no reprieve and little or no rebate.
- Health and safety concerns mount especially for those who are dependent on oxygen or have sleep apnoea, to mention a few.
- Noise pollution has become a norm because more and more people are using fossil fuel generators as their choice to generate electricity and we must respect that choice.
- It is difficult to pick an installer as not every resident is as informed as others.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
- The debate acknowledges that:
- Home owners are able to determine their own power independence as individuals.
- Everyone will have to be compliant to current rules and regulations.
- The focus should only be on individual homes and not shared power at this stage.
- There is a need to establish a local registration mechanism to gather data and to do trend analysis.
- Broad and consolidated information pertaining to technology and installers must be made available.
- There is a need to establish a way to support those that wish to become independent of Eskom but don’t have the means.
- Ratepayers need to be aware of what the OM, as our overarching authority, is doing and so too does the OM need to know what the ratepayers are saying.
- By not having street lights/ robots etc. makes it all much easier to set up a municipal grid and less expensive in the long run.
- Storms/ gale force winds could negatively affect solar systems.
- Solar systems are currently being used with great success.
- We should discourage the use of fossil fuel generators because of the noise pollution or come up with a solution to dampen the noise. Fossil fuel generators are more expensive in the long term, especially if the power outages should stay at high and frequent levels and the fuel price increase.
- A redundancy program must be part of the planning process by individuals and the OM. We must understand that whatever we put in will have to be replaced in the future.
- In all cases the facts are apparent:
(1) When there is no sun or wind for long periods of time the total battery discharge (TBD) will reach a point that it too will not have enough stored capacity to service your home.
(2) Regarding generators: When the fuel runs out there is no way of generating electricity. The advantage is that providing there is fuel, when there is an outage for an extended period then most solar systems will fail, but the generator may still generate electricity.
- With this all said and done we, you and I, have to make these decisions and come up with answers to our own problems, and support of the OM initiatives.
COMMUNITY VISION
To be a community where there is scope for ratepayers to be self-powered in order to maintain their own independence and prosperity, alongside those who would like to be dependent on available grids for power.
SOLUTIONS
For each household to install a solar powered/ generator (quiet ones only – less than xx dB) system of some sort:
- To be totally off the grid.
- To be partially off the grid.
- To remain on the grid but have minor backup systems for internet, TV and lights.
CHALLENGES
The main challenge for us is to accept that we must alter our lifestyle slightly to accommodate a new way of life and overcome our resistance to change.
Affordability is a huge factor as solar systems and generators are extremely expensive items.
CONCLUSION
These are early days and we don’t know all the answers, and we don’t have all the funds and we don’t have all the knowledge we need, but together with the OM we will overcome each and every hurdle.
This information is just that, information, gathered through debate.
GRATITUDE BY BBRA CHAIRMAN
I thank each person that attended our debate and helped us to understand our situation better. It is with people of your calibre that will see us succeed in all that we do.
(WR JACKSON)
BETTY’S BAY RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION: CHAIRMAN
Date: 18 February 2023
Distribution
Betty’s Bay Ratepayers and residents Att: (All registered members)
Ward 10 committee Att: (Counsellor Theresa Els)
BBRA Committee Att: (All members and appointees)
Facilitator
Wayne Jackson
Scribes
Karon Scholefield
Liezel Bohdanowicz