How much it costs to get solar power and say goodbye to Eskom

Going off-grid to escape the clutches of load-shedding is relatively expensive, with prices ranging from R172,420 to over R500,000.

The cost depends on household electricity usage and how many days the system must last without sunshine to recharge its batteries.

South Africa’s current power situation, including Eskom implementing Stage 6 load-shedding, will likely mean more people looking for ways to ditch South Africa’s ailing power utility.

MyBroadband spoke to SolarAdvice director Neil Berrow to find out what kind of solar setup a typical South African household would need to go off-grid.

However, it is essential to consider that households will have varying degrees of electricity usage.

Because of this, we elected three scenarios to compare — households that use 600kWh, 900kWh, and 1,200kWh of electrical energy per month.

While it is possible to get solar setups that match these usage requirements almost exactly, it is advisable to go for a configuration that exceeds your needs to account for periods of fluctuating solar availability.

AWPower managing director Christiaan Hattingh previously told MyBroadband that a fully off-grid system should be three or four times larger than a grid-tied system.

This guarantees that it can meet a household’s electricity demands during cloudy periods.

Alternatively, you could use a generator to fill batteries, but this would come at a high cost due to fuel prices.

Berrow explained that another critical factor to consider was how much electricity your household consumes after daylight hours, as this determines what kind of battery capacity you need.

The average South African household uses around 60% of its electricity during the evenings, meaning battery storage of at least 12kWh would be required for homes using 600kWh a month or 20kWh a day.

Those consuming 900kWh and 1,200kWh a month would require battery storage of at least 18kWh and 24kWh, respectively.

The systems listed use 5kW LuxPowerTek inverters to convert the direct current electricity generated by solar panels to alternating current electricity for household use.

The basic components included in SolarAdvice’s off-grid (not hybrid) solar kits. Note that the number of panels, inverters, and batteries will vary based on your needs.

However, to be safe and ensure you always have power, Berrow recommended hybrid inverters as they can blend available power sources, including solar, battery, and grid power.

“So you’ll use your produced solar power first, and the inverter will pull power from your batteries and grid if your usage exceeds your production,” he said.

“You will never waste produced solar power, which will, in turn, ensure that you only use grid supply if absolutely necessary.”

However, these inverters push up the cost of solar setups and still leave you tied to the grid, meaning you will still have to pay Eskom for your connection.

Berrow also provided some valuable tips for those buying a solar power kit.

“Don’t make a decision entirely based on price point. Solar products are expensive, but rather spend your hard-earned money on popular brands,” he said.

“They are popular because they are tried and tested and found to be reliable.”

He advised that one should insist on a site inspection before buying a solar power kit to ensure an easy and hassle-free installation.

“Also, make sure that once your installation is complete, you receive a Certificate of Compliance,” Berrow added.

The table below provides a breakdown of three possible off-grid systems from SolarAdvice that will suit the needs of households that use an average of 600kWh, 900kWh, or 1,200kWh of electricity per month.

Now read: Who to blame for Stage 6 power cuts