Despite the growing potential of solar power in South Africa, the country stands at a critical energy crossroads, where over-regulation and policy inconsistencies threaten to plunge the country into another energy crisis, residential solar energy company GoSolr warns.

In the fourth edition of its Light Paper, released on June 5, GoSolr discusses structural and regulatory failings that it says continue to dim the country’s energy future, adopting a sense of cautious optimism.

While the frequency of loadshedding has eased, GoSolr points out that the country’s energy availability factor remains at an average of 57% against State-owned Eskom’s target of 70%.

Additionally, the company notes that grid capacity has maxed out in three key provinces for wind and solar power – namely the Northern, Eastern and Western Cape – and confusing tariff structures are discouraging consumers and independent power producers (IPPs) from investing in alternative energy sources.

“South Africa’s electricity tariffs are as confusing as they are expensive – they differ wildly from municipality to municipality and even within their own structures.

“This makes it challenging for consumers to work out the best and cheapest way to get their energy, or for IPPs and renewables businesses to create viable business models,” the company expresses in the paper, highlighting the lack of freedom of choice for consumers.

“This system doesn’t allow for flexibility and hampers innovation,” the company argues.

Moreover, the Light Paper lists innovation and the growth of technology as solutions that will help grow solar and work towards a just transition, noting that green technologies, such as AI and electric vehicles, are driving the efficiency and uptake of renewable energy.

During the launch of the paper, CEO Andrew Middleton highlighted the need for regulatory changes, as well as AI optimisation to improve the efficiency of solar power systems, noting that AI can help predict and manage solar power use.

With this in mind, Middleton introduced the GoSolr Brain, an AI-powered system, as an example of how technology and AI can optimise solar power use.

The GoSolr Brain was launched earlier this year and provides smart solar optimisation, automated energy management and proactive outage protection.

The paper also notes that wheeling is making access to renewable energy easier, adding that microgrids can also help reduce the load on national grids.

Hence, the solar energy company puts forward five steps to “renewable energy success”.

The company suggests that fixed-use tariffs must be cost-reflective; that solar import tariffs be revised; that a simple national solar framework be adopted to avoid complexities; that registration and compliance burdens be reduced; and that wheeling and feed-in is opened up for consumers feeding energy back into the grid, or for larger IPPs.

“While legacy infrastructure and systems continue to strain under pressure, real change will come when all stakeholders – public and private – can collaborate toward a more open, reliable and sustainable energy future.

“The willingness and the ability to bring South Africa out of the dark with renewables is there. The private sector is funded and ready to drive us forward, and consumers want cheaper, cleaner and more reliable options,” the company says.