Two reasons people go solar
People install solar for one of two reasons, or both. The first is to cut a monthly electricity bill that keeps rising. The second is to keep the lights on during load-shedding. These are different goals, and they lead to different systems. Knowing which one matters most to you is the first step in deciding whether solar is worth it.
If your main worry is load-shedding, a battery and inverter solve most of it, even without panels. If your main worry is the bill, panels do the heavy lifting. Most Cape Town homes want a bit of both, which is why we design the system as a whole. See load-shedding solutions and solar PV installation.
Cape Town's sun is a real advantage
Cape Town gets a high number of sunshine hours, which is good news for solar. Even on overcast winter days, panels still generate a useful amount; they just produce less than on a clear summer day. The city's climate suits solar well compared with cloudier or more northerly regions.
Electricity tariffs keep rising
One of the strongest arguments for solar is that municipal electricity tariffs have risen steadily, and are likely to keep rising. Every unit you generate and use yourself is a unit you do not buy at tomorrow's price. A battery lets you use more of your own generation in the evening, when household demand is highest.
How to judge payback for your home
Payback is the time it takes for your savings to equal what you spent. It depends on your current monthly bill, how much of it the system offsets, the tariffs you pay, and how much of your own generation you use rather than export. Because those numbers differ for every household, we do not publish a single payback figure. What we will do is show you, in writing, what the system is expected to produce and how that relates to your bill. See how much solar costs in South Africa for what drives the price.
When solar may not be worth it
It is only honest to say that solar is not for everyone. If your roof is heavily shaded for most of the day, or faces the wrong way with no alternative, panels may underperform. If you rent and the landlord will not agree, options are limited. If your electricity use is very low, the savings may take long to add up. In those cases we will say so, and suggest the smaller option that still helps, such as a modest battery for load-shedding.
Getting a straight answer for your home
Send us your monthly bill and a photo of your roof. We will tell you honestly what solar can do for your home, and what it cannot. Read how solar and battery backup work, or explore where we work across the Cape Town metro.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does Cape Town get enough sun for solar?
Yes. Cape Town gets a high number of sunshine hours, and panels still generate on overcast days, just less. The city is a good location for solar.
How long until solar pays for itself?
Payback depends on your current bill, how much of it the system offsets, and the tariffs you pay. It is different for every home, so we do not publish a single figure. We show you the expected production against your bill in writing.
Is it worth going solar just for load-shedding?
For many households, yes. A modest battery that keeps the lights, Wi-Fi and fridge on removes most of the daily disruption. Adding solar panels then lowers the bill as well.