The two main approaches
Grid-tied: Your solar system is connected to the municipal grid. When your panels produce more than you use, excess flows back to Eskom (with a bi-directional meter). When you use more than you produce, you draw from the grid. You still have an Eskom connection and pay a small connection fee.
Off-grid: You have no Eskom connection. All power comes from solar panels and a battery bank sized to cover multiple days of autonomy. If the battery runs flat and there's been no sun, you have no power.
Grid-tied: the numbers
- System cost: 20–30% less than equivalent off-grid (smaller battery required)
- Monthly savings: R1,000–R2,500 on a R3,000 bill
- Still exposed to load-shedding without battery storage
- Eligible for Section 12B tax deduction
- System adds value to property
Off-grid: the numbers
- System cost: 40–80% more than grid-tied (larger battery bank, larger panel array)
- No Eskom bill at all — R0/month after payback
- No load-shedding exposure
- Requires discipline (high usage on cloudy stretches can deplete battery)
- Not practical for most urban homeowners — council connection fee still applies
For most SA homeowners: grid-tied with battery
The sweet spot for 2026 is a grid-tied system with battery backup. You get:
- 80–90% of your electricity from solar/battery (zero Eskom bill most months)
- Grid as a backup on heavy-use days or cloudy weeks
- Load-shedding protection
- Lower system cost than full off-grid
True off-grid is best suited to farms, game lodges, and properties where an Eskom connection is impractical or prohibitively expensive to install.
Get a free solar quote and our installers will recommend the right configuration for your property and usage.