Load shedding may be quieter than it was in 2023, but the underlying challenges facing South Africa’s electricity system have not disappeared. Eskom continues to rely heavily on expensive diesel generation to support the grid, electricity tariffs continue to rise, and businesses and homeowners are looking for smarter ways to improve the return on their solar investments.
This is where exporting excess solar energy back to the grid becomes progressively attractive.
For many solar owners, especially those with larger systems, exporting is no longer simply a compliance exercise or a “nice-to-have” feature. It is becoming an important part of a long-term energy strategy.
The solar you don’t use is often wasted
A common misconception is that every unit of solar generated automatically delivers value. That is not always true.
During summer months, many solar systems generate far more energy than the building can consume during the middle of the day. Once batteries are fully charged and daytime loads are satisfied, excess generation is often curtailed or throttled by the inverter.
In simple terms, valuable solar energy is being produced but not used. Export functionality changes that.
Instead of wasting excess generation, approved export systems can feed surplus electricity back into the municipal or Eskom network, generating credits that help offset future electricity costs.
For many businesses, schools, apartment complexes, farms and even holiday homes, this can significantly improve the financial performance of an existing solar installation.
Why the economics have improved
Electricity costs are increasing at a pace that many businesses are struggling to absorb. Recent NERSA-approved tariff increases have once again pushed electricity prices higher, while further increases are already planned in the coming years.
At the same time, solar technology continues to improve. This means every additional kilowatt-hour that can be generated, consumed or exported becomes increasingly valuable. The more expensive grid electricity becomes, the greater the value of every unit of solar energy your system produces.
Exporting allows solar owners to maximise the value of energy that would otherwise go unused.
The rise of Electric Vehicles creates new opportunities
Another trend that is beginning to influence solar economics is the rapid growth of electric vehicles. Many businesses are already investigating EV fleets, while homeowners are increasingly considering electric vehicles as running costs continue to rise.
During the day, solar energy can either:
- power the building
- charge batteries
- charge electric vehicles
- or be exported to the grid
The best-performing systems are often those that combine these strategies intelligently.
As EV adoption increases, solar systems become even more valuable because owners have more options for using the energy they generate.
Why Cape Town continues to lead
The City of Cape Town remains one of the most progressive municipalities in South Africa when it comes to small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) and export programmes.
The municipality has spent years refining its processes and today provides one of the clearest pathways for residential, commercial and industrial customers wanting to export excess power.
We’ve seen significant improvements in application turnaround times compared to the early days of the programme.
In fact, some AWPower clients have successfully moved from application to export-ready status in a matter of months rather than years. Other municipalities and Eskom are increasingly following a similar path, although requirements and timelines still vary significantly between regions.
Not every system is export ready
One of the biggest surprises for many solar owners is discovering that exporting requires more than simply changing a setting on the inverter. Systems need to be properly designed, approved and configured.
This often includes:
- SSEG registration and approvals
- Professional engineering sign-off
- Bi-directional metering
- Compliance with NRS regulations
- Appropriate inverter settings
- Updated documentation and certificates
The good news is that many existing systems can be upgraded retrospectively to support export functionality. In some cases, relatively small adjustments can tap into significant additional value from an existing investment.
The businesses benefiting most
We are seeing particularly strong export opportunities in:
- Commercial office buildings
- Apartment blocks
- Schools
- Farms
- Industrial facilities
- Holiday homes
- Businesses with low daytime or no weekend occupancy
These sites often have periods where solar generation exceeds consumption, creating ideal conditions for exporting excess energy. Three-phase installations also generally have greater export potential than smaller single-phase systems.
Looking ahead
South Africa’s energy landscape is evolving.
The days of installing solar solely to survive load shedding are giving way to something far more strategic.
Today, businesses are looking at solar as an infrastructure asset that can generate savings, reduce risk, support EV charging, and in many cases, create additional value through exporting power back to the grid.
As electricity costs continue climbing and solar technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, the question is no longer whether your solar system can generate excess power.
The question is whether you’re getting maximum value from every unit it produces.
For many solar owners, exporting to the grid may be the next logical step.