DoE reveals SWH rebate plans as it takes over from Eskom

The Department of Energy (DoE) has announced its plans for the solar water heater (SWH) rebate programme, following its decision to take over the administration of the scheme from State-owned power utility Eskom as from February 1. The SWH programme, which offered rebates of between R5 000 and R12 000 depending on the size of the geyser, had fallen short of its target of one-million subsidised installations by 2014, with only 417 000 installed as at September 30, 2014. But government still believed that SWHs could contribute 23% of its overall energy savings target.