The sun’s solar energy is free and easily accessible to everyone, especially here in South Africa where we bask in the warmth of 3182 hours of sunlight per year out of a possible 4383 available hours. With an average solar-radiation level ranging between 4.5 and 6.5kWh/m2 per day, solar power is the fastest-growing renewable energy source available today.

Solar energy’s advantage is that it is clean energy; it is easy to install, it requires very little maintenance, it does not discharge impurities, and it is silent, making it the number one solution for residential and commercial properties to reduce their reliance on electricity from the grid and from the ever-rising tariff increases from Eskom, the national supplier.

Over the past ten years, solar energy solutions have shown incredible growth, with South Africa committed to the Integrated Resource Plan which underpins an energy generation infrastructure development initiative set for 2030. This, together with the latest developments in solar technology means solar equipment is more streamlined and cutting edge, offering reduced cost benefits for both businesses and communities along the way.

If set up and installed correctly, choosing a solar energy solution will ensure you decrease the size of your carbon footprint, see the benefit of cost reductions on your electricity bill and see a return on the initial cost of your upfront investment (ROI) within an estimated 5 to 6 years on average.

What is essential during any switch-to-solar process is not to cut costs on the quality of your solar equipment, especially the quality and positioning of your photovoltaic panels.

Once your initial payback period is completed, your solar generated electricity then becomes a free resource and a savings model for your future.

Once your initial payback period is completed, your solar generated electricity then becomes a free resource and a savings model for your future.

5 Factors that improve the ROI of your solar system:

Installation: The more efficiently your solar panels are installed and arranged, the more energy you will be able to generate. They should face North and at an angle that catches the most sunlight for the longest period of time during the day.

Solar Panel prices depend on brand and size. Prices range between around R2500 for a 345W Monocrystalline Solar Panel and R4500 for a 540W Monocrystalline Solar Panel. Solar power systems tend to have a lifetime of approximately 25 years – and while some panels carry warranties of up to 20 years or more, other system components may have different or lesser warranties. It’s therefore essential to check the performance warranties of all the components, as well as their origin and quality.

Experience and the work quality of your expert electrical engineer or amateur solar installers work and technical advice will affect your investment. Improper installations of Solar Power Kits hanging, wiring your inverter and battery and the connection to your distribution board, as well as the installation of commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can drive up maintenance costs in later years and severely diminish any potential cost saving benefits.

There will be a per panel installation price. If you need to install 12 solar panels, your installation cost will be higher than that of someone who only needs 6. For a 6 panel installation, you can expect to pay upwards of R12,000.

Choosing a microinverter that converts energy efficiently is one of the most essential components of a solar system. They turn the raw direct current (DC) energy collected by your solar panels into alternating current (AC) energy that can be safely used in your home or office. Look for microinverters that have High CEC and MPPT ratings and an extended warranty, so that you can get it fixed or replaced if it becomes less efficient.

Is solar power worth the investment?

South Africa aims to achieve 9600 MW of solar power capacity by 2030. Installing a solar system can be an excellent way to save money – or, in some cases, even open up new sources of income. This relates not only to cutting your electricity bill but may mean you are able to sell electricity not used back to the grid.

Total Off-Grid Solar Systems

If you want to remove all dependence on the national electricity grid, you will need to invest more money in a battery storage system, and ensure you have a correctly sized solar array to power those batteries, to keep you powered at night and through heavily overcast days or rainy days. This can start at R200,000 or more.

Depending on your location, you could be eligible for net metering – an electric billing tool that uses the electric grid to store excess energy produced by your solar panel system. The energy that your solar panels produce and do not use can be credited back to you, meaning you could potentially receive a credit toward your bill for unused energy and essentially sell solar energy back to the electrical grid.

Ensure that the service provider installing a PhotoVoltaic system is experienced and has a successful track record with the technology. In South Africa, the solar installation industry is not regulated. As a result, it is ESSENTIAL that you hire a company that has electrical engineering skills behind their name.

When considering investing in solar with an eye for the future, there is a wide array of funding options available to you, including from your own banking institution.

Let Kommetjie Electrotech do an accurate needs analysis of your domestic or commercial solar power requirements and a Solar PV feasibility study for your site when you call us on 079 531 2992 now.

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With both environmental and financial benefits for the whole family, solar technologies help you to save on your monthly electricity bill, supporting you to meet and manage your current energy needs and providing you with energy security for the future.

With today’s new and improved solar energy systems available, there is a solution for everyone whether you want to power a few lightbulbs to keep the lights on during night-time loadshedding or if you want to power your entire home on solar energy with power storage backup.

With electricity prices on the rise, solar energy solutions provide lasting savings on the cost of energy going forward and deliver a return on your initial upfront solar investment; all the while adding value to your home or property for the future.

Understanding the many possibilities of solar solutions on the market can be confusing and time consuming to figure it out yourself and considering the costs you will have to outlay; it is not something you want to get wrong.

This  is why KES Electrical and Solar  – your local solar specialists – is here to help you find the quickest and most affordable solution for your unique power needs with an easy to understand overview of solar solutions available to you right here in the valley and the greater Cape Town area.

The 3 Main Types of Solar Systems are:

On Grid Solar System: Recommended for homes and businesses, this solar system helps you stay connected by supplementing your daytime grid usage with solar power. You still pay Eskom for the electricity you use but you have the advantage of backup power whenever you need it and can feed electricity into the grid for a financial benefit. It’s the most affordable solution on the market as it only uses solar panels and an inverter (no battery required) to produce the power you need during the day.

Solar Solution Estimate: This solution will cost you between R55 000 and R60 000 to set up and will see you using less grid electricity, helping you save on your electricity bill. With an expected average increase from Eskom of 30.5% year on year you have a solution that provides you with backup power system return on investment (ROI) that saves you money in the long-term.

Off Grid Solar System: Location is an important factor when it comes to solar and the off grid solar solution is for when you need your own power source because using the grid is not possible or when it is too costly to connect to the main grid. Here, the solar panels help to charge a battery bank used to power your appliances and lights as well as storing power to run everything in your home until the batteries can be recharged by solar power alone. The average off-grid home solar system requires about 7 Kw (or 7000 Watts) of power to generate and run entirely on its own off-grid energy production system.

Solar Solution Estimate: Generating twice as much power as you consume is a wide safety margin for your off-grid system. This off-grid energy production system requires approx. a 9-battery solution that needs 14 solar panels but can store up to 33kWh, which provides a safety net of having double your daily average supply and will cost you around R250 000 to set up.

Hybrid Solar System: A hybrid solar system has the advantage of generating and storing electricity for most of the time, only drawing from the grid when needed. The hybrid system adds battery storage between the solar panels and your inverter and blends power from the grid, solar panels and battery so you have a seamless power supply. Reliable, quiet and safe to use, switchover’s are quick and your hybrid inverter saves you extra costs over the long term, while keeping you connected to the grid for any back up power as and when needed.

Solar Solution Estimate: You will need to install two batteries to have sufficient power stored to ensure against long periods of overcast weather and approximately 8 solar panels costing between R115,000 and R120,000.

The return on your solar energy system investment (ROI) is increased with added value, savings and convenience to your home and office over the long term and is a good investment in clean energy which protects the climate using the sun’s free and renewable energy.

Backup Systems for Power Failures of the Grid:

When the power is off and you need continuous power supply, a power inverter system with lithium iron phosphate battery enables you to continue working. Your inverter is fully automatic and permanently connected to your mains power keeping your inverter battery charged until the power fails and automatically switching over to the inverter to continue supplying power to your computer, television, security system etc. protecting them from damage and allowing you to continue to work. Your inverter can be remotely managed from your cell phone where you can monitor the battery capacity and system performance at any time. These systems can cover you in power outages anywhere from 2 to 24 hours.

These power backup systems are not to be confused with a UPS system which is designed to backup sensitive equipment such as computers, servers, medical equipment etc. A standard UPS system has a small internal battery set and only provides short backup times of around 10 minutes.  

Most solar batteries are 10 kWh in size, which can power the basic operations of a house for approximately 24 hours.

Apart from solar panels, inverter and batteries, your solar system – corresponding to the current Safety Standards of South Africa – will also need the correct wiring and switches which enable you to connect switches that disconnect your AC power, DC power and battery so that should any maintenance or repair work be required, your electrician is kept safe. Your AC protection box should always have surge protectors in them to protect your system from electrical surges.

Your solar system must be installed by a qualified and registered electrician who can also ensure any product warranties and after sales support. Kommetjie Electrotech (KES) in partnership with KTT Solar Solution caters to customers who prefer to have a custom designed system, suited to their bespoke needs and budget.

Ask our solar specialist for a professional assessment of your residential or corporate needs
T: 079 531 2992 or let us quote you on
E: office@kommetjieelectrotech.co.za