By: Nigel Sun - Head of Sungrow Sub-Saharan Africa

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to connect more Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to the grid with the aim of stabilising supply and easing pressure on existing infrastructure. With renewables expected to make up the majority of the country’s power capacity by 2035, cleaner and more flexible energy systems are set to shape future strategies. Why is this important? These developments matter for C&I users because reliability has become essential for productivity, customer service, and to boost investor confidence.

The tactical advantage of reliability

More than a basic utility, energy is today a business-critical variable for keeping costs down and operations stable. It is also a key factor in ensuring a business stays competitive. Energy-aware decision-making is especially important in industries with continuous production requirements or in customer-facing environments where outages are difficult to absorb. As more businesses revise their energy strategies to lock in continuity, there is a growing focus on resilience, efficiency, and better planning to protect both revenue and long-term performance.

A flexible route forward with grid-connected renewables

The conversation is no longer about choosing between off-grid and on-grid systems, but rather about leveraging the benefits of both. Grid-connected renewables allow generation of clean electricity on site using the grid as a stabilising backbone, creating a balanced structure where handling changes in demand gives more control over energy use while supporting regulatory and compliance expectations. It also means less need for emergency backup, making it easier for businesses to embed sustainability into operational reliability.

Why storage drives consistency

Solar lowers daytime grid use. Storage makes supply reliable by shifting excess generation to peak periods, flattening demand and reducing charges. It enables load shifting and peak shaving, stabilises on‑site power, and responds quickly to short disturbances so facilities can plan operations with greater confidence.

PV-only systems suit businesses with a primary focus on cost reduction and eco-friendly targets. For those who need more resilience or have variable load profiles, adding storage to PV systems gives better control to match supply and demand as it happens. This setup supports phased growth and can be adjusted as energy needs shift, making it a practical long-term solution as the grid evolves.

South African deployments highlight practical application pathways

Across Gauteng and other regions, Sungrow is supported C&I customers with grid-connected solar and storage solutions designed to improve flexibility and control within their energy systems. One such project is a grid‑connected installation at a large retail facility in Soshanguve incorporating Sungrow’s PowerTitan 2.0 system. The system has been designed to support peak‑period operations by discharging during high‑load windows, enabling demand flattening, and more effective load management under grid-connected conditions.

This project illustrates a typical application of grid-connected storage in high-demand commercial environments: enhancing energy planning and operational resilience without disconnecting from the grid. By enabling more precise control over on-site energy flows, such systems provide a foundation for improved consistency and optimisation as projects progress toward full operation.

Across sectors including retail, commercial estates, light industrial operations, and agriculture, similar solar-plus-storage configurations are being adopted as a practical approach to managing demand, strengthening operational continuity, and supporting long-term energy planning. These deployments reflect a broader shift toward integrated energy systems that prioritise flexibility, compliance, and long-term performance.

Building agility into operations

As businesses increasingly extend hours of operation, scale up production, or electrify processes, the need for energy systems that have the power to adapt without adding new constraints becomes more urgent. Grid-connected PV with storage offers a modular approach that supports phased expansion, tariff management, and better load control. It also builds new levels of agility into daily operations, powering faster response times to higher customer expectations, financial shifts, and energy pricing. This is a clear example of how energy can become a tool for growth rather than a limitation.

What the next phase of reliability means for businesses

Across the country, more grid-connected solar and wind projects are coming online, and NERSA’s latest monitoring update shows steady growth in both installed capacity and the energy generated from these plants during 2025. Unfortunately, increased capacity doesn’t hold much weight without consistency.

The defining test for business competitiveness is now energy reliability, that reliability will come from integrated energy systems, with grid-connected renewables strengthened by advanced storage playing a central role for businesses wanting to keep the lights on, this is no longer an energy choice; it’s an operational non-negotiable.