U.S. Mission South Africa

At U.S. Mission South Africa, the Green Team has installed solar water heaters on residences and other post buildings, a particularly effective strategy for the sunny South African climate.

The solar hot water and recirculation systems pump water to panels on the building roofs, where it is heated by the sun and then pumped down to living areas. This process efficiently heats the water without use of a conventional electric water heater. One hundred residences at Mission South Africa, including the U.S. Ambassador’s and U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission residences, have been converted from conventional electric water heaters to solar water heaters.

Installed solar water heaters at U.S. Mission South Africa residences

Image Source: U.S. Mission of South Africa

Solar water heating has a particularly high environmental and economic impact in South Africa, where 90% of electricity is generated from coal, the burning of which releases GHGs such as CO2, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide, as well as mercury and particulates. South Africa’s national power company, Eskom, offered purchase and installation rebates as part of a nationwide initiative to reduce fossil fuel-based energy consumption.

Electricity rates in South Africa are projected to rise 25% per year for the near future, and the use of a solar water heating system reduces energy-related risk by promoting energy independence.