Solar power systems for under R1,000 in South Africa

For less than R1,000 per month, South African households can get a fully integrated entry-level solar or backup power system to reduce their overall electricity bill or provide protection against power outages.

When installed by a reputable provider with the necessary qualifications, solar power systems comprising tried and tested equipment will typically cost upwards of R50,000.

It should be possible to get a 3kW inverter, 5kWh battery, and four to six panels with a capacity near 2kW for that price.

If you used a five-year loan with an interest rate of 20.5% to pay off that purchase, it would cost about R1,310 per month.

To drop below a four-figure monthly payment, the system would need significant downgrades to reduce its cost to less than R37,200.

South Africans with home loans can potentially use a future use or readvance amount to fund the purchase, which will typically result in a reduced monthly repayment.

This is the most affordable option in the short term but could be more costly over the remaining home loan term.

For those who don’t necessarily want to own the system or who want greater financial flexibility, there are many solar and backup rental subscription products on the market.

With electricity tariffs increasing drastically in recent years, there may be some instances where an entry-level rented system can produce enough power to save households with certain consumptions on their monthly energy bills.

The most affordable solar rental we found from major providers in April 2025 was a Metrowatt package for R792 per month.

It included a 5kW inverter and 5kWh battery, which should be sufficient for three hours or more of backup for most typical homes.

One thing to consider with backup-only systems is that Eskom and certain municipalities have introduced time-of-use tariff plans.

If configured correctly, even a household that just has backup storage could benefit from these tariffs by charging up their battery during off-peak periods when prices are lower and discharging it during peak periods.

However, it is important to consider these tariff plans may come with higher fixed fees, which could cancel out that benefit.

Those looking to save on their monthly electricity bill or who only need an alternative energy source during the day can consider Stage Zero’s R799 entry-level product.

It offers a 3kW inverter and four solar panels without any battery backup.

Realising savings with this product will depend on a household’s typical energy consumption.

Stage Zero offers a useful calculator that shows exactly how much more or less a household will pay per month for one of its systems combined with a reduced electricity bill based on their home address.

Knowing a customer’s location allows Stage Zero to look up data about their local tariffs and available solar resource to calculate and estimate.

Stage Zero also offers an option with 5kWh of backup storage but no self-generation for R999 per month.

Alumo Energy was the only company that offered a rental subscription package for less than R1,000 a month with both panels and a backup battery.

Nedbank’s Avo Solar was also the only provider selling a solar-and-backup package that is not a rental for under R1,000 per month.

It boasts a modest 1.65kWp panel array, 3kW inverter, and 3kWh battery, which is smaller than the other systems but comes with the benefit of ownership after payoff.

The table below summarises the most affordable backup and solar systems available from various companies offering rentals.