Is installing solar panels at home cost effective in the long run?
April 21, 2023
Is installing solar panels at home cost effective in the long run?
I’ll say! 11 years ago we tried a small, Installing solar panels for 1.5 kW grid tied solar system which basically cut our energy bills in half. This is in sunny South Africa, where we were paying R0.65 per kWh supply at the time we installed a 1.5KW system, although currently South Africa does not have a rebate for electricity returned to the grid. We hope a lot of the red tape on this can be removed as power returned to the grid ultimately helps Eskom overcome load-shedding
About 2 years ago we upgraded from the old 1.5 kW system that was still performing well to a 6.6 kW system with a 5 kW inverter. This keeps our lights on even in stage 6 of load-shedding which can be between 2-4 hours long. We also get to use a lot more of of our solar power being less reliant on the grid
What is the cost saving?
Since the new system delivers on average around 4 times the energy that we require, we are now saving between R1500 to R2000 rand a month on electricity albeit we still use some of the grid electricity when the battery runs out.. The solar panels are top level Q-cells made in Korea, and the inverter is an Austrian made Fronius. The entire system cost R65 000, and will pay for itself in 3.5 years.
The excess energy we generate means that an EV is the logical choice for our next car as our recharging issues are already dealt with. In the long term we will be saving thousands on our household electricity bills and fuel costs once we have purchased and EV vehicle.
In conclusion, a solar power system will save you tens of thousands of rands. From bringing your household electricity bill down or even to eliminate the cost altogether, to saving on transport costs effectively travelling for free. Running a home solar solution in South Africa as we know it, will save you money but also give you piece of mind as you will always have access to reliable electricity – No more load-shedding
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