As governments across the African continent are searching for more solar, solar-powered heater usage is on the up and up. South Africa’s Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said at a Solar Water Heating conference, "We are all here to make it possible that our planet is in safe hands."
She said renewable energy technologies help to mitigate climate change and that South Africa is looking at a way of reducing "over dependence" on fossil fuels and that alternative energy sources could help in the creation of about 100,000 jobs. She added that the continent slacked behind in implementation of solar water heating mainly due to the high costs involved.
"Investments in renewable energy in Africa remain a challenge," the minister said.
The framework is intended to ensure that government’s target of installing a million solar powered geysers in households as well as commercial buildings is reached in the next five years. According to Peters, a typical residential solar water heating system reduces the need for conventional water heating by about two fifths.