DURBAN – The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) on Monday called on government to ensure "aggressive incentives" for companies to pursue photovoltaic power in order to lessen the crippling effects of electricity costs on South African households.
Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electricity.
According to Marie Sukers, ACDP MP, solar power could uplift communities, including ones in deep rural areas.
"The ACDP notes that a major milestone has been reached in Brazil, where a solar power project has been auctioned off at the lowest price ever for a power generation project," said Sukers.
Southbank Investment, a British research company, has asserted that this means solar is now the cheapest form of energy from any technology, ever.
Sukers said that affordable and reliable modern energy services were recognised to be essential for alleviating poverty, improving health, and raising living standards.
"There is a huge energy demand in South Africa and electricity costs are crippling households. With great technological advances and resulting economies of scale, prices have fallen enough to be more than within our reach," she said.
"The ACDP calls on government to ensure that there is the right business environment offering aggressive incentives for companies to pursue photovoltaic (PV) utilities and storage systems. We must make use of our abundant sunlight to radically reduce energy costs across the board and uplift particularly the poorest rural communities.”