With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to drive the “Work-From-Home” trend, the spike in load-shedding and power interruptions is driving renewed interest in solar energy solutions for residential properties.

This was a key takeaway from a recent webinar hosted by solar energy solution specialists Solec South Africa and former financial journalist Marc Ashton.

“I regularly moderate investment and business webinars and the level of engagement as well as the type of questions coming through on a relatively niche topic highlights just how much unreliable electricity is impacting ordinary South Africans,” says Ashton.

Solec SA Managing Director Rein Snoeck Henkemans believes that load-shedding is likely to be an issue for the foreseeable future and points to recent comments from Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter who says it’s time to shift mindsets on the challenges that Eskom faces.

“While solar energy is by no means a silver bullet for all of Eskom’s challenges, I like the message that an investment in a solar system is a way of being part of the solution, rather than complaining about the problems,” Snoeck Henkemans says.

Webinar delegates were given the opportunity to make use of the Solec SA Online Sizing Tool which lets them work out the investment required for their own property.

Participants were also given the opportunity to look at the diagnostic tools that Solec SA makes available to their clients to measure peak energy consumption times and devices. This gives them a more tactical approach on how to best to store energy and install their solutions.

Snoeck Henkemans concludes: “Whether it is storing food and medication in a fridge or denying you the ability to work from home, an unstable power grid impacts so many different aspects of your life and we believe that the deployment of a solar solution can be a game-changer for your home.”

A full copy of the webinar is available online here.