Capetown, South Africa is one of the sunniest places in the world. A great place to invest in solar energy, right? But Eskom, the public utility company that has a stranglehold on the city's power, hasn't gotten with the program.
Capetown's mayor, Patricia de Lille, however, is bullish on alternative energy. Rightly so, as it's an opportunity to lower the cost of utilities for her residents. De Lille is going up against Eskom, and she needs your help. She is prepared to take legal action to get permission to buy renewable energy from Independent Power Producers.
But Eskom doesn't want to build solar infrastructure. That company wants to build more dangerous and controversial nuclear plants. Eskom is now on record as saying that solar isn't "practical." It's hard to imagine where solar power would be more practical than some place that gets that much sun. Please join me in asking Eskom to invest aggressively in solar power instead of nuclear power.
Dear Eskom,
Your assertion that solar energy isn't practical for South Africa is absurd. Sun is arguably South Africa's best resource, certainly its most plentiful. And solar energy is improving every day. Huge strides have been made in its efficiency. Solar energy is not just practical, it is one of the planet's best defenses against the ravages of climate change. Please invest aggressively in solar power instead of nuclear power.
