You can be penalised by up to 1000% if you need to use the grid for top ups once you have installed solar power. This is what is being contemplated currently and makes no sense to the normal person.
Living in Africa does have it's challenges and one is certainly how the Governments think or don't think. Very little makes sense as there is always some angle being played which normally means someone is benefitting. I think this is one of the main reasons why I don't see my future here as there is only so much one can put up with.
There was an announcement made a few months ago supporting businesses and homes who wanted to become self supporting using green electricity options ie water, wind or solar. The current electricity supplier in the country being Eskom is under pressure and is more often than not cutting power which we know as load shedding. We experience this very frequently with the last time being this afternoon.
Last month Eskom (electricity supplier) had a meeting with NERSA (National Energy Regulator South Africa) wanting a fixed tariff imposed on those who are off the grid. I knew the Government wanted to charge for a solar license which is robbery as far as I am concerned. The set tariff is in case you need to fall back on the grid in case your system has a shortage of required power.
Today that idea changed as NERSA announced the plan is to charge anywhere between 5 and 10 x the normal electricity rate for top ups. The idea is if you can afford to go off the grid then you can afford to pay extra. This is how they are thinking as now the ones who pay their taxes and are going solar are having to subsidise the ones who cannot afford to go off the grid.
Not that I am going off the grid as I don't exactly want to be around here for the foreseeable future I have still done some homework. Electricity is one utility bill that is increasing every year way above normal inflation so getting away from it is a no brainer.
The way this lot are thinking means you have to never ever rely on them and go off the grid properly never coming back. No point in doing a half baked job as you will be hit with penalties even though you are helping the grid by your actions.
An average house would need a 5KW solar system which means you would be saving around R7000 or $450 per month in bills. If by chance you needed a top up you would end up paying a huge penalty which would eat into the savings you have made and who knows if they are savings by the end of the month.
My thought is you go for double the size required and never have to touch the grid ever again and is risk free. I have priced these systems and a complete package is only R250 000 or $16000 which is an investment that would pay itself off very quickly. Roughly within 36 months you will be in the profit plus added serious value to the property which will always come back if you sell.
I don't think NERSA or Eskom are thinking this through as they are now forcing businesses and residential homes to totally cut themselves off from their "services" never to return. If I am doing this I am in no ways subsidising others as I would like the saving myself.
I have a friend who is totally off grid already with a similar system in place and has not experienced load shedding like we do on a regular basis. Savings are not only in the electricity but all your electrical appliances as when the grid is unstable there are regular power surges. 3 years ago I replaced all the flood lights outside and they literally lasted a few weeks before they were all blown.
The generator I use for now will be sufficient until I decide on what to do next. I am in no rush as they change laws and regulations like they do their underwear. I can see them going back to a license fee if everyone upgrades and doesn't need their services. They wont admit this but they rely on the ones that pay for electricity to subsidise the majority that don't pay at all. That money will need to be found so there will be a penalty even though you are helping the grid by not being part of it. As dumb as this sounds this is how they think and that will never change.