Certain customers, who are now finding that self-generation offers superior long-term financial predictability
A structural shift is underway in the South African residential estate model that has relied on a centralised utility for power.
Rising electricity costs, evolving tariff structures and a sustained decline in the cost of solar modules and lithium-ion batteries are rapidly changing the economics of energy supply, eroding the case for remaining grid-dependent, says Francois Van Themaat, the co-founder and MD at Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS).
He says that for property developers and Homeowners’ Associations (HOAs), the conversation has moved from temporary backup power to full energy independence.
“At its core, this shift is about cost savings and security of supply. While security was the primary driver during peak load shedding, the relative stabilisation of the energy situation has shifted the focus more firmly to the bottom line.”
