Technical factsheet for solar photovoltaic (PV) technology

This technical factsheet by GreenCape outlines the application of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology to reduce energy costs and carbon footprints at wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) in South Africa. It details system configurations, financial metrics, and the necessary steps for municipal implementation.

• Solar PV technology is highly feasible for South African wastewater treatment works due to the country's strong solar potential, declining technology costs, and electricity tariffs that increase annually above inflation.
• Solar PV systems for WWTWs can be deployed using ground-mounted, rooftop-mounted, or floating configurations (such as over settling tanks), and can be grid-tied either with or without battery storage. While these systems reduce utility energy bills, solar PV alone does not protect against load shedding unless paired with diesel generation or energy storage.
• The business case for solar PV systems excluding energy storage includes a typical capital cost range of 10,000 R/kWh to 14,000 R/kWh, a payback period of 4 to 8 years, and an internal rate of return (IRR) between 12% and 25%. Fixed operations and maintenance (O&M) costs are estimated at 2% of capital costs, with annual carbon emissions reductions ranging from 1,100 to 2,100 kgCO2 per KW.
• Municipalities can finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects through several mechanisms: municipal budgets, government or donor grants (such as MIG, RBIG, and WSIG), concessional loans from foreign funders (e.g., AFD, SEFA, DBSA), commercial bank loans, energy performance contracts via Energy Services Companies (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} }