A Tesla Powerwall 2, would get your household through 12 hours, but if it's not going to be enough just to store electricity - you'd better produce it. Which usually means solar.
R225 000 / futurama.co.za
DID YOU KNOW
Hohm has a simple online tool to determine your solar needs and options at hohmenergy.com. It’ll give you a price range and financing options in about one minute.
HOW TO GO SOLAR
Like any addition to your house, solar is complicated and expensive – very complicated and very expensive – but the market has innovated in the last year and there’s help for both.
“A good 5kW installation for a three- or four-bed house can set you back around R150 000. Though it will probably pay for itself over five years even at current electricity prices, the initial cost is out of many people’s reach,” says Matthew Cruise of Hohm Energy. But South Africans know how to maak ‘n plan. Installers are marketing rent-to-own installations. Game, Makro and Builders are now offering loans up to R250 000 for installing solar, banks encourage you to use asset-based loans and access bonds.
“The problem with access bonds is that you generally can’t access them for the first five years,” Matthew says. “We’ve partnered with Nedbank so, “like Uber for solar”) that sources hardware at bulk prices, provides vetted installers and certifies installations, so that Nedbank is willing to accept the installation as collateral. It’s the opposite of the bakkie brigade.
