Loadshedding, need we say more?
Loadshedding solution has become the number one searched term on google in South africa. Finding solutions to this extended period of loadshedding beyond having a rechargeable lamp, surge plug, and candles may seem unrealistic, however, solar power is the solution. By the time the year 2023 enters its 12th week, loaddshedding will have occurred for 70 consecutive days in South Africa.The inconvenience of loadshedding has transformed into a lifestyle arranged around the latest loadshedding schedule, and yet, the country and its workforce are still expected to contribute in earnest to the country’s economy. Convenience is now the lifestyle that we have been forced to subscribe to. More and more of us are spending time away from our homes to avoid loadshedding. The current state of inconvenience means seeking new ways to make our lives convenient.
Cape Town City backing solar power
There can be no doubt that South Africa, as a nation, is resilient. However, South Africans are at their wits' ends, to say the least. Even resilience has its limits. Waking up with no electricity and arriving home after a long work day to find your home in darkness, should not be the norm. Eskom’s continual setbacks, management issues, political involvement, running out of diesel, theft, wet coal, etc. are forcing South Africans to look for alternative energy sources.One way of making our lives more convenient and contributing to easing our individual carbon footprints is to install solar panels. Recently, the City of Cape Town has encouraged the installation of private Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) systems. This is an effort to decrease the pressure on the electrical grid. This initiative is also incentivized, meaning that the city will pay for any electricity that gets pumped back into the grid. The city is also the only metro in South Africa actively keeping its residents on a lower loadshedding stage compared to the rest of the country.
Loadshedding Solutions for Businesses
Earlier this year, the Sowetan newspaper published a list of small to medium businesses throughout the country that were on the brink of closing their doors due to loadshedding. This prompted alarm and rage from the public as it highlighted a small percentage of the population that are suffering under the incompetence of Eskom. Finding convenience, and alternatives to loadshedding is now at the top of all google searches (eskomsepush app, loadshedding schedule, what time is loadshedding in my area), and social media is rife with rage and contempt at the current state of the country’s electricity crisis.At InPower, convenience, efficiency, and solutions to Eskom’s problems are important to us. Below we have listed a few tips and tricks that can help with the struggles of loadshedding.And if these feel like too much effort, Go Solar!
Life with Loadshedding
Gas - Gas stoves are a popular choice. Portable camping gas stoves are also easy to use and invites some creativity into cooking. Freezer packs - Plastic bottles can be filled with water and frozen. This helps meat from thawing during loadshedding and can be used to keep food in the fridge colder for longer. Battery-operated lights - Lanterns, torches and other battery operated lights are useful when loadshedding hits and you are unprepared. Place them around the house in easy-to-reach areas. They are also less dangerous than candles.And, as a last resort, get a generator - The more expensive ‘solution’, some generators are able to power essential appliances and even entire homes. Find out more about InPower’s generator solutions.
