Exporting to the Grid – everything you need to know

Exporting excess generated electricity from your solar PV system, typically in summer, will increase savings and improve control over your municipal or Eskom account.

Buildings with 3-phase installations will be allowed to export much more than single-phase installations, and so too are buildings that are occupied mostly during weekdays or holiday homes, when the export of excess generated power can make a substantial dent in the typical electricity account.

However, navigating through this process of setting up your system for exporting to the grid requires skill and experience, and this article will provide guidelines to assist with planning and executing this process.

Why Cape Town Leads the Way

City of Cape Town were one of the first utilities to roll out the export of electricity for Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) systems for residential, commercial and industrial solar PV systems into the national grid. It took several years to fine-tune the process, and most other utilities, including Eskom, is now following the example set by Cape Town. So, if you are in doubt, try to follow the City of Cape Town route.

The duration of completing the application process in Cape Town could take several months (if not years) from application to start of exporting, however following implementation of City Of Cape Town’s e-services system, AWPower has examples of systems being export-ready within two months, such as in the case of Summerville, a 20-apartment block of flats in Hout Bay, Cape Town.

When designing a system to export to the grid (and this can be done retrospectively for existing installations too), it is required to adhere to the generation size limitations as defined by the NRS Association of South Africa (National Rationalised Specifications Association). The NRS 097-2-3 specification for maximum individual installation limits in a shared LV (400V/ 230V feeder is shown below:

Observing two examples in the table above, we will find that for a common single-phase building with a mains circuit breaker of 60A, the maximum inverter size will be 13.8kVA and maximum export capacity at any given moment to the grid 3.45kVA, and then similarly for a 3-phase building with 60A breaker size, maximum inverter size of 41.6kVA and maximum exporting of 10.4kVA at any given moment to the grid.

A typical installation for a single-phase 60A home could be an 8kW inverter with 6-10kWp of PV panels installed and for a 3-phase 60A supply, a 30kW 3-phase inverter with 10-20kWp of panels in a residential environment.

Exporting (when allowed) only happens when the batteries are fully charged and there is more solar available than what the loads draw at that moment, which would otherwise be throttled and wasted if not exporting.

Planning to Export? What You Need to Know

The following points need consideration when planning your solar PV system to export to the grid:

• When applying for approval to install a solar PV system (SSEG) at City of Cape Town, it should specifically be stated if export functionality is required. It is also possible to apply retrospectively for an amendment to install export functionality. Applications submitted to City of Cape Town should be processed through the new e-services system.
• Once the City of Cape Town approves the installation, including the export functionality, the installation process of the solar PV system may commence, and once completed and signed off by a professional engineer (Pr. Eng.), the request for installation of the necessary equipment to facilitate export, should be submitted, and once approved, the applicant will receive an invoice from City of Cape Town for installation of a AMI Bi-directional meter/export facilitation. The AMI meter will be installed by City of Cape Town and this may take a few weeks from receipt of payment.
• The cost of the AMI Bi-directional meter, including installation by the City of Cape Town will be approximately R6,000 for a single-phase installation and approximately R10,000 for a 3-phase installation below 100A supply if all metering accommodation requirements are met. Important to note that metering accommodation requirements are at the customer’s cost such as providing a street facing and suitable-sized and lockable meter box, overhead supplies must be changed underground etc. Please refer to the City of Cape Town’s Requirements for SSEG document for more information.
• With bi-directional meters installed, replacing pre-paid meters or the old type where physical meter readings are required, the readings will be digital and accurate, based on actual consumption and feed-in, with no more room for errors based on estimates.

Real-World Savings Example

At our project house in Noordhoek, the family went on holiday for two weeks in January 2025. With geysers and major appliances switched off, the system exported far more power than usual.

Result? A credit of R1,587.73 on their municipal account – applied directly to rates and services. That’s solar working even when you’re not home.

Keep Your System Export-Ready

Because export systems run at peak capacity more often, regular maintenance is key. We recommend scheduled inspections of wiring, fuses, and connectors to keep everything safe and efficient.

Need Support? AWPower Is Here to Help

AWPower has been recognised as experts in small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) regulations for installations in Cape Town and other regions, including Eskom-supplied systems.

The AWPower team of experts have been at the forefront of discussions in the media around these regulations, providing insights on how homeowners and businesses can protect their solar investments.

For more on this, read our expert commentary:

Eskom Solar Crackdown – The Facts
What Eskom’s Warnings Mean for Solar Users
Rooftop Solar Compliance Matters
How Oversight Impacts Electricity Costs

Whether we installed your system or not, we can assist with:

• System audits for compliance and export readiness
• SSEG export applications and amendments
• Ongoing performance and safety checks

If you subscribe to an AWPower Solar Maintenance & Support Agreement (SM&SA), we will assist you with:

• Advice on upgrading and completing your relevant SSEG application to set up your solar for exporting to the grid
• Be ensured of having a system that runs efficiently and safe, resulting in increased savings.

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