On 17 May Enel Energy South Africa launched the YouPower solution in Cape Town.
Sustainable and green
“South Africa has the most energy-intensive economy in the African continent, and in recent years has experienced load-shedding as demand for electricity continues to outstrip supply,” states Francesco Venturini, head: Renewable Energies Division, Enel Group. “We identified in South Africa the opportunity to develop a retail offer providing a sustainable and innovative green alternative to clients.”
Brand new energy solutions
Enel YouPower will offer customers in Cape Town a turnkey, household and business energy solution that will bring together solar panels, inverters as well as lithium-ion batteries which will allow them a seamless energy supply as well as unique digital energy services. Venturini elaborates, “For example, customers can have full control on the energy they produce, consume and store through the Energy Management system. Moreover, the platform will make also possible the integration of digital services, such as home automation, which will enable new user and home management experiences, creating an open system that can “dialogue” with all the house equipments.”
Looking to the future
The YouPower products’ prices range from R84,000 to R278,000 and will include administration management with regards to permits from local municipality, installation and maintenance as well as all-risks insurance for a year, 24/7 assistance and the energy management system.
Enel recently announcing the completion and entry into service of the 82,5MW Paleisheuwel PV Plant (Western Cape), while they also operate the 10 MW Upington PV plant in the Northern Cape and have a further 430 MW of projects currently underway, as well as five wind projects (total capacity of 705MW) they were awarded in 2015. “As far as Enel Energy South Africa is concerned, our goal is to sell around 300 – 400 YouPower kits and to expand the offer from Cape Town to the rest of South Africa (Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, etc) by the end of 2016. As we progress, we expect to increase the competitiveness of our products as we will have better economies of scale than most of the local suppliers,” adds Venturini.
Keep updated by following Enel Energy South Africa on Facebook here, and also here on Twitter.
Enel by the numbers:
Presence: Over 30 countries across 4 continents
Total net installed capacity: 89 GW
Extension of electricity and gas links: 1,9 million km
Customers: 61 million
Words: Charis Le Riche | Images: Supplied
