A recent data visualisation report from the Centre for Renewable & Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES) at Stellenbosch University offers a complete, data-backed view of South Africa’s energy landscape. For any business striving for financial stability and operational certainty, the report confirms that the time for self-generation is now.

Read more here: Visualisation_of_South_African_Electricity_Data

Here is what the data reveals:

The Problem: Unstable Supply Meets Unstoppable Price Hikes

The core challenges facing commercial entities in South Africa are clearly quantified in the report:

1. Explosive Cost Increases: The single biggest driver for self-generation is cost. Between 2008 and 2023, the average electricity tariff in South Africa soared by a staggering 720%. This increase massively outpaced the country’s inflation (CPI), which was 215% over the same period, creating a profound economic incentive for companies to produce their own power.
2. Collapsing Reliability: The system is constrained by the declining reliability of the country’s ageing, coal-dominant generation fleet. This decline is illustrated by the falling Energy Availability Factor (EAF). As a direct consequence, load shedding has increased exponentially since 2008, causing ongoing disruption and loss of productivity for businesses nationwide.
3. Consumption is Concentrated: A significant portion of South Africa’s electricity consumption (around 35% in 2017) is concentrated in metropolitan areas, with the largest load centres in Gauteng (Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and Tshwane). This high-density demand makes decentralised, on-site Commercial & Industrial (C&I) solar a vital strategic solution for South Africa’s economic hubs.

The Solution: Businesses Are Already Leading the Solar Revolution

The market is not waiting for a fix; it is taking action. The report highlights the exponential growth of privately owned solar PV, also known as “embedded generation”.

• This massive surge is explicitly driven by increasing electricity prices, decreasing PV technology costs, and increased load shedding.
• The result is a market shift: by May 2024, the installed capacity of embedded PV (including C&I and residential systems) was nearly double that of utility-scale PV procured through the national REIPPPP programme.
• This customer-driven capacity is part of the national power mix, directly helping to mitigate the generation adequacy problems that cause load shedding.

Eversolar: Your Partner for Energy Independence

The data proves that a significant and rational financial shift is underway. For commercial and industrial clients, the decision is no longer if you should adopt solar, but who you should trust to secure your energy future.

Eversolar delivers tailored commercial solar solutions that directly address the instability and financial risks highlighted in the CRSES report:

• Hedge Against Price Volatility: Our solutions provide a predictable, fixed-rate energy source, shielding your business from future 720% price spikes and ensuring long-term financial health.
• Achieve True Energy Security: By installing an on-site C&I PV and battery system, you bypass the challenges of the declining Energy Availability Factor (EAF) and eliminate the costly downtime caused by load shedding. We secure power where the load is – on your property.
• Expert Integration and Optimisation: We are experts in high-capacity embedded generation. We ensure your system is professionally designed and integrated to maximise daily solar production and manage the system’s interaction with the grid, setting you up for success now and as the grid evolves to manage solar integration complexities like the “duck curve” and increased ramping requirements.

Contact Eversolar today at www.eversolar.co.za to schedule a commercial energy audit and secure your business’s future.