This State of Energy Report provides the ‘energy picture’ for the Cape Town Metropolitan area. It gives the
background and direction for the development of the Cape Town Energy Strategy, which is a component of
the City of Cape Town’s Integrated Metropolitan Environmental Policy (IMEP). The energy picture is based
on sometimes incomplete or old data and information, and as such also identifies these gaps and further
areas of investigation.
Energy plays a central role in the functioning of cities. South African cities are, however, very new to the
current energy debate and have focused primarily on electricity distribution with little or no coordination
across related energy issues.
A local energy strategy will help to institutionalise sustainable energy approaches and practices at the local
level, within a framework that has a clear vision and direction. It enables the co-ordination of ad-hoc energy
projects and activities, and helps to integrate energy objectives into relevant CCT functions and
programmes. It can lead to improved service delivery, save money, assist with employment creation,
improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The development of the Energy Strategy comprises several steps. The first step (this report), gives a picture
of the ‘state of energy’ in Cape Town. It highlights issues that arise from the energy picture and prioritises
these issues. As a part of developing this State of Energy Report, a workshop was held with a group of
energy experts and the draft document was circulated for comments, the results of which are incorporated
herein. The second step is the development of a proposed Energy Vision and Goals document for discussion
by key stakeholders. The final step is to compile the Energy Strategy based on discussions and inputs
received.