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Contact Details: Tel: 0861- GEOMEC (436632) |
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Eskom Rebates Eskom is offering home owners rebates of 15 to 20% on the cost of installing solar water-heating systems through its Solar Rebate Programme, enabling homeowners to save from about R1 860 up to R4 900 on the cost of a solar water-heating system. According to Eskom Demand Side Management GM Andrew Etzinger: "The solar rebate programme has been developed to ensure consumers not only obtain systems at a discount, but to encourage people to buy quality systems. For this reason, the programme applies only to systems that have been tested by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). Some systems have also been awarded the SABS mark which is an assurance of high quality and safeguard." The Eskom Solar Rebate Programme enables consumers to buy solar water heating systems from accredited suppliers and claim a portion of the cost back, as part of Eskom's commitment to promoting the use of renewable energy. The requirements for receiving the rebate includes that the system must be SABS-approved and incorporate a functioning timer, and must also be installed by an Eskom-approved installer, while a valid claim for the rebate must be submitted, using forms provided by the installer, said Etzinger. Subsidies on solar water-heating units will vary among accredited suppliers and different systems, based on the amount of energy these systems can displace. Etzinger said by buying systems bearing the SABS mark, property owners had assurances about quality and durability. For a homeowner to receive a rebate, a completed rebate claim application is need to be submitted to Eskom Deloitte, who have undertaken to settle complete and valid claims within an eight-week period. Etzinger said Eskom had contracted Deloitte to manage the process of supplier application, accreditation and rebate management, while claim application forms would be provided to the customers by the installer of the system. "He stressed that homeowners must remain aware that rebates would be paid only for the installation of systems listed as part of the programme and installed by a registered installer. Eskom's Demand Side Management website or its Help Desk (011-8004744) provides detailed information about the programme, accredited suppliers, their geographical location, applicable rebates and the process to follow. South Africa, through public energy company CEF, has launched a six-month pilot project to introduce solar water heating in middle- to upper-income homes as the country seeks to exploit one of its most abundant resources - sunshine. The project, launched on 5 March, aims to create awareness and remove market barriers to solar technology in South Africa. Despite benefiting from solar radiation levels that are among the highest in the world, the country has yet to embrace solar technologies. The project is offering incentives to install SABS-approved solar water heating systems to 500 households in the Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces. "The intention is to inspire confidence in an energy source that is fast becoming the first choice in a world striving to support clean fuels." said Nadia Moosa, project manager at the Energy Development Corporation, a division of CEF. CEF is involved in the search for solutions to meet the future energy needs of South Africa, the Southern African Development Community and the sub-Saharan African region, including oil, gas, electrical power, solar energy, low-smoke fuels, biomass, wind and renewable energy sources. This initiative forms part of a drive by government for renewable energy to contribute 10 000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of final energy consumption by 2013. Solar water heating could contribute up to 23% of this target. Installing solar water heating systems can reduce your heating bill by as much as 70%. According to Eskom the rebate system is not in anyway exclusive. The requirements of a supplier to sell systems that qualify for rebates are the following:
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