What solar PV installation involves
Solar PV (photovoltaic) panels convert daylight into direct current (DC) electricity. An inverter changes that DC into the alternating current (AC) your home uses. During the day your panels supply your lights, plugs, geyser and appliances first, and any shortfall is drawn from the grid. A grid-tied system offsets your bill but shuts down during an outage for safety. A hybrid system adds a battery so the panels keep working when the grid is down.
We install across the Cape Town metro, from the City Bowl and the Northern Suburbs to the Southern Suburbs, the Atlantic Seaboard and the South Peninsula. Cape Town's climate suits solar well: the city gets a high number of sunshine hours, and even on overcast days the panels still produce a useful amount.
How a PV system is sized
We start with your monthly electricity bill, your roof shape and how much of your usage happens during daylight. From that we size the array so you offset the bulk of your daytime load rather than over-building for generation you cannot use. A larger array is not automatically better; a system that matches your daytime consumption pays back faster than one that exports power you are not paid for.
Roof type, pitch, shading and wind loading all affect the design. North-facing roofs are ideal in the southern hemisphere, but east and west arrays also work well, and we will tell you honestly when a roof is a poor fit.
Panels, mounting and roof care
We use tier-one monocrystalline panels and corrosion-resistant mounting. Roof type, pitch and wind loading are checked before we commit to a layout, and we keep the roof warranty intact. Coastal properties in the Atlantic Seaboard and South Peninsula face salt air, so we pay attention to the mounting and fixings we use there.
Grid-tied or hybrid
A grid-tied system offsets your bill but stops during an outage. A hybrid system adds a battery so the panels keep working when the grid is down. We explain both clearly and let you choose. Many Cape Town households start hybrid because load-shedding makes battery backup part of the decision. See battery backup and energy storage and inverter installation for how those parts fit together.
Who it is for
Homeowners who want to cut a monthly bill that keeps rising. Businesses and body corporates with daytime load, such as offices, shops and complexes with common-area lighting and pumps. Anyone who wants to generate their own power and reduce reliance on the grid.
What affects the price
The size of the array, the panels and inverter you choose, whether a battery is included, the complexity of the roof and the length of cable runs. There is no single price for "a solar system" because no two homes are the same. Send us your bill and we will prepare a written quote.
Commissioning and handover
After installation we commission the system, check the output against the design, and hand over your documentation and monitoring app.
Related pages
Read more about how much solar costs in South Africa, or see where we work in the Northern Suburbs and Southern Suburbs.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many panels do I need for my home in Cape Town?
A typical three-bedroom home starts around a 3 to 5 kW array, but the right number depends on your usage and roof. We confirm the size in the written quote after the assessment.
Will solar work on a cloudy Cape Town day?
Output drops on cloudy days but the panels still generate. A well-sized battery smooths the difference and keeps the essentials running.
How long does a solar installation take?
Most residential installations are completed within one to three days on site, depending on the size of the system and the roof. Lead time for equipment is confirmed in the written quote.
Do you handle the paperwork?
We manage the installation and hand over the documentation.
Which areas of Cape Town do you install in?
We install across the Cape Town metro, including the City Bowl, Northern Suburbs, Southern Suburbs, Atlantic Seaboard, Helderberg and South Peninsula.