Technical factsheet for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology

The document outlines how solar PV technology can be integrated into South African municipal wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) to lower energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions. It details various installation configurations, such as ground-mounted, floating, and rooftop systems, and provides financial metrics including a payback period of 4 to 8 years. The factsheet also lists potential financing mechanisms and a step-by-step implementation process for municipal officials and private developers.

• Solar PV technology is highly feasible for South African municipal WWTWs due to the country's strong solar potential, declining technology costs, and electricity tariffs that increase above inflation annually.
• Solar PV systems can be deployed in ground-mounted, floating (e.g., over settling tanks), or rooftop configurations, and can be grid-tied either with or without battery storage. While they reduce utility costs, solar PV alone does not protect against load shedding without the addition of diesel generation or energy storage.
• The business case for solar PV systems excluding energy storage includes a typical capital cost between 10,000 R/kWh and 14,000 R/kWh, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 12% to 25%, and a payback period of 4 to 8 years. Such installations can reduce carbon emissions by 1,100 to 2,100 kgCO2 per KW per annum.
• Municipalities can fund solar PV projects through various mechanisms, including municipal budgets, government grants (such as MIG, RBIG, and WSIG), concessional loans from entities like the DBSA or AFD, commercial bank loans, energy performance contracts via ESCos, and climate financiers.

APA

GreenCape (n.d.). Technical factsheet for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Factsheet-6_Solar-Photovoltaic-PV-Technology.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Technical factsheet for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. n.d. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Factsheet-6_Solar-Photovoltaic-PV-Technology.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Technical factsheet for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Factsheet-6_Solar-Photovoltaic-PV-Technology.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencapendtechnical, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Technical factsheet for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology}}, institution = {GreenCape}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Factsheet-6_Solar-Photovoltaic-PV-Technology.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }