GoSolr calls for radical steps to be taken to support a more robust and decentralised energy grid

Residential solar provider launches inaugural “light paper”, a comprehensive resource to understanding the current state of solar in South Africa

Cape Town, 25 April 2024: Radical steps must be taken to secure our energy supply – and solar will be key in driving this. This was the clear message shared by South Africa’s leading residential solar provider – GoSolr – in its first quarterly solar update, shared this week with stakeholders. Their “light paper” distils the current conversations about solar and renewable energy, interrogates the latest stats and key issues, and shines a light on the energy generation issues that face South Africa.

“We developed the GoSolr quarterly solar update as a means to intentionally interrogate what is happening across the renewable energy space. We wanted to identify the issues and opportunity therein to tackle not only the ongoing energy crisis, but also to look ahead to better ways to power our vibrant nation,” said GoSolr co-founder and Chief Executive Office, Andrew Middleton.

“South Africa has an energy problem. We don’t produce enough, it costs a lot of money and what we produce has a profoundly bad impact on the environment. Solar offers a viable solution to mitigating tackling this crisis and without it, our energy crisis would be much worse,” he continued.

In the first quarter of 2024 the country experienced 68 days of load shedding out of a total of 89 days as the nation’s insurmountable energy continues. The paper showed that without rooftop solar alleviating demand on the national grid, the energy shortfall in 2023 would have 44% worse than it was.

“South Africa ranks third in the world as having the best solar potential, and it’s becoming accessible to more people. The scope for growth and benefits are incredible – cost savings, clean and secure energy, job creation and more. We are however being hampered by inconsistent and fragmented national policy, regulations and tariffs,” Middleton said.

The index points to outdated national policy that is governing the industry and the many players that are driving the implementation of it. Policy currently also differs from province to province and this is unlikely to change soon, even as differing promises regarding energy and tackling climate change are being made by political parties’ manifestos.

“Radical steps must be taken to secure our energy supply and policymakers must align and take bolder steps. We must take immediate action measures to support a more robust and decentralised energy grid, reduce dependency on centralised power, sources, and mitigate the impact of load shedding,” says Middleton. 

The index is not all doom and gloom though. The paper sheds a light on the developments in renewable energy solutions, innovations in how we use power, and increased scope for cleaning clean, sustainable energy that can directly impact the continued energy crisis.

“The burgeoning solar industry in South Africa stands as a beacon of opportunity, powered by abundant sunlight, technological advancement and declining costs.  By harnessing the power of the sun and enacting robust policies, South Africa could lead the way and illuminate a path towards a greener, more prosperous future for all,” Middleton concluded.

Key findings of the GoSolr quarterly update include: 

•    The state of solar – our cost-of-lighting is in crisis: Solar offers a viable solution and 5 440 MW of energy derived from roof top solar has been added to the grid as of March 2024, yet in 2023 South Africa’s electricity demand exceeded supply by some 16 000 000 megawatt blackouts.

•    On the reality of regulatory changes – our patchwork policy problem With NERSA, government, Eskom, and 257 metropolitan, district and local municipalities operating in a near-siloed manner, the many players and inconsistent regulatory frameworks have resulted in a patchwork policy problem, while energy tariffs and electricity prices continue to rise. 

•    From obstacles to opportunities: While there are 17.8 million homes in South Africa, only about 124 000 (0.69%) of these have rooftop solar, yet South Africa ranks third in the world as having the best solar potential. If we successfully moved the industry in the right direction, decarbonising South Africa’s power sector could create ± 145 000 net jobs in the next two+ decades, while opening up key business ventures needed for installation, maintenance, and managing end of life of solar solutions. 

For more information on the GoSolr Quarterly Solar Update, or to download a copy, visit www.gosolr.co.za.