11 April 2008

THE City of Cape Town is working on a comprehensive five-year energy plan to save at least 10% of the current energy usage by its 3,3 million residents.

The strategy, which slots in with the City's Five Year Integrated Development Plan (IDP), will be driven by a new political oversight committee.

"South Africa's current energy crisis has dramatically highlighted the disastrous consequences resulting from poor long-term planning. The City of Cape Town aims to avoid the Eskom scenario by constantly reviewing its IDP," said councillor Grant Haskin, Executive Deputy Mayor.

The City's IDP for the next five years and its draft budget of R19.8 billion for 2008/9, are now open for public comment.

"The budget is integrally linked to the municipality's IDP which commits the City to meeting specific targets over the next five years," said Dr Martin van der Merwe, IDP Director.

"The five year plan is for the entire Cape metropole and not just for specific suburbs. Thus a fine balance needs to be struck in allocating scarce resources for key focus areas," he said.

Seven new aspects have emerged in the IDP document for 2008 to 2012. Beside the focus on energy conservation, other aspects include the formation of an investor facilitation unit, the development of a metropolitan fibre optic network, the launch of a Bus Rapid Transit initiative, the alignment of skills requirements with educational institutions, the pursuing of housing accreditation for the City, and the establishment of a service delivery system whereby councillors and officials are held accountable to the public.

According to the IDP, the City is instituting a five year Energy Savings Programme, together with the City's Climate Change Strategy and the Cape Town Central City Energy Efficiency initiative.

This programme will implement projects that aim to save 10% of residents' and businesses' current energy use. Projects include energy demand management and offer opportunities for renewable (non-fossil based) forms of energy.

The City is looking to facilitate, manage and use energy in a way that ensures access to clean, safe and affordable energy for all residents. Key to this is vigorous action around energy efficiency and the decoupling of economic growth from resource consumption, while steadily increasing the use of clean energy alternatives.

The City aims to achieve a 10% reduction in energy consumption below projected unconstrained energy consumption by mid-2009 and maintaining this level into the future.

Excluding the transport sector, the IDP strategy notes that the majority of energy consumption in the city takes place in the industrial, commercial and residential sectors.

The City will pro-actively engage these sectors in initiatives towards energy efficiency. It will also look to energy efficiency gains through substantial public awareness campaigns. Technology interventions will focus on the mass rollout of efficient lighting, building insulation and building management systems and solar water heating.

Although energy consumption by the City Administration itself only accounts for some 2% of city-wide energy consumption, the City will lead by example through progressively ensuring that all City-owned/or managed buildings and housing stock, equipment and other infrastructure (such as lighting) are retrofitted for energy efficiency gains in a phased manner.

According to Dr van der Merwe, public input is crucial for the finalisation of the draft Budget and IDP. The City of Cape Town invites individuals and organisations to provide comments on both documents by 30 April 2008.

The documents can be viewed at the Cape Town Civic Centre, and at all City libraries and council offices.

"This is an ideal opportunity for the general public to become involved in planning for Cape Town's future and we welcome feedback on the IDP and budget," said Dr van der Merwe.

Source: Capetown.org.za