Background
A homeowner in Cape Town, South Africa, wanted to reduce reliance on the unstable power grid and lower monthly electricity bills. Frequent blackouts (load shedding) caused significant inconvenience, and the customer was looking for a complete renewable solution combining solar generation and reliable storage.
The family required a system that could:
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Power essential household loads during outages (lighting, refrigerator, Wi-Fi, TV).
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Store sufficient energy for evening and nighttime use.
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Integrate seamlessly into the existing home without complex installation.
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Be scalable for future capacity expansion.
The Solution
We provided a turnkey solar + storage package, which included:
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Solar Panels: 3.6 kW rooftop photovoltaic array.
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Hybrid Inverter: 5 kW smart inverter with grid-tied and off-grid functionality.
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Lithium Battery: One 48V 100Ah (≈ 5 kWh) LiFePO₄ battery pack with >6,000 cycles at 80% depth of discharge.
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Smart Monitoring System: Real-time monitoring via mobile app for generation, storage, and load management.
The hybrid inverter ensures solar energy charges the battery first, then supplies household loads, with excess energy exported to the grid where policies allow.
Results & Benefits
1.Energy Independence: Up to 70% daily self-consumption, reducing reliance on grid electricity.
2.Backup Power: Essential loads supported for 6–8 hours during blackouts.
3.Sustainability: Reduction of approximately 1.5 tons of CO₂ emissions per year compared to grid-only usage
4.Cost Savings: Electricity bills cut by 40%, with an estimated payback period of 5–6 years
Customer Feedback
“The 5kWh solar and battery solution has given us peace of mind. Now, when the grid goes down, we still have power for our family’s needs. Plus, our bills are much lower. It feels like we’re truly energy independent.”