In a pioneering effort to explore the viability of implementing solar power in informal settlements, the University of Pretoria, Wits University and the Gauteng Research Triangle (GRT) have joined forces with SAPRIN. The collaborative project kicked-off on 30 March 2023 at the Melusi informal settlement in Pretoria East. 

As part of this groundbreaking initiative, the partners teamed up with Lightec, a reputable solar company, to install a one-panel solar system in two shacks currrently without electricity. The pilot project aims to assess the potential of solar energy as a sustainable and efficient power source for such settlements.  

GRT is a research collaborative in Gauteng between the University of Johannesburg, the University of Pretoria, and the University of the Witwatersrand. 

Dr. Edith Madela-Mntla and Kenny Mafala in the UP COPC Research Unit were instrumental in selecting households chosen for this pilot project. Dr Madela-Mntla emphasised the importance of considering a system that generates sufficient power for the households'needs while also exploring opportunities for excess energy that could be sold back to the power grid.

In a promising discovery, the team found that  "Informal settlement dwellings can generate power that is both adequate for their household needs and income generation", she added. 

As part of the pilot study, Lightec developed the solar panel while the battery and inverter are a product of research from Wits' School of Electrical & Information Engineering, manufactured by PECO, a company based at Wits University.  

Dr Madela-Mntla said the pilot study will be monitored over a six to a year, to evaluate its feasibility for a larger scale.