Everything Counts | Ep 22: Guide to Going Solar in South Africa

Loading player...
Everything Counts is a bi-weekly podcast series that dives into money and financial wellness, hosted by 702’s Motheo Khoaripe. Each episode unpacks practical aspects of personal finance-how to save, spend, invest, and make smart decisions to boost your financial well-being.

In this episode, Motheo is joined by De Wet Taljaard (Technical Advisor at Investec Sustainable Solutions), Kirk Palmer (Director at Solafi), and Andrew Winstone (CEO at Energy LED) to tackle one of South Africa’s hottest topics: solar power and energy efficiency for households.

They break down the current state of the energy crisis in South Africa, the realities of Eskom, and the future of electricity. The panel shares actionable tips on how to reduce your energy bill; from switching to LED lighting to using your geyser smartly and choosing energy efficient appliances.

The panel explains the different types of solar systems, the cost of solar panels for home and how to choose a solar system for your home.

Whether you’re ready to invest in solar or just want to make your home more energy efficient, this episode is packed with expert advice to help you make informed decisions and take control of your energy future.

00:00 Introduction
01:36 The current energy crisis in South Africa
03:05 The Energy Availability Factor (EAF)
04:28 The impact of power failures in municipalities
05:10 How to curb the cost of power failures in your home
05:50 How to use lights to reduce energy consumption and save costs
07:39 Energy efficient options to cut costs in the home
8:36 How to use the energy efficiency metric
09:14 Insulation in the home
10:24 Home solar system costs and the return on investment
12:49 Types of solar systems on the market and the costs involved
14:50 Maintenance and lifespan of solar systems
15:30 Choosing the right solar system
17:32 Sectional titles and body corporates
18:45 Compliance and safety considerations
20:10 Eskom direct connected customer requirements
21:20 Why registration is the responsibility of the business or homeowner
21:52 Meeting the requirements to get your system registered
22:17 Financing opportunities for solar systems
22:45 Funding solutions for Investec clients
23:18 Cape Town versus Johannesburg: feeding back into the grid
25:32 Energy saving tips
26:08 Increasing energy independence and savings for the future
27:20 How can you prepare for South Africa’s growing water crisis? Listen to the whole Everything Counts series on Investec Focus Radio SA
20 May English South Africa Business · Investing

Other recent episodes

Everything Counts | Episode 33: Saving strategies post-retirement

Are you wondering how to make your money work for you after retirement? In this episode of Everything Counts, host Motheo Khoaripe sits down once again with Kate Robson, Co-Head of Investec My Investments, and Johan Loubser, Head of Adviser Enablement at Investec, to unpack the realities of managing your…
21 Oct 29 min

Macro Monday Ep 92: Good news on the global growth and inflation front

There’s good news for the world economy, with the IMF forecasting solid growth for the world economy this year and next, and median inflation in the world’s leading economies declining in September. Meanwhile, says Chris Holdsworth, Chief Investment Strategist, Investec Wealth & Investment International, lower oil prices are also providing…
20 Oct 9 min

NOW Ep 112: IMF Special | Signals from Washington

In this special IMF edition of No Ordinary Wednesday, Cumesh Moodliar, CEO of Investec South Africa, and Ruth Leas, CEO of Investec UK, unpack the signals from this year’s meetings in Washington – from the “three Ts” shaping investor sentiment (Trump, technology and tariffs) to the cautious optimism surrounding South…
19 Oct 19 min

NOW Ep 111: In tech we trust?

In this episode of No Ordinary Wednesday, Jeremy Maggs speaks with Zane Bezuidenhout and David Smith, Global Equity Research Analysts at Investec Investment Management in the UK. Fresh from the Deutsche Bank Tech Conference in California, they examine what’s substance and what’s speculation in the current tech cycle – and…
14 Oct 20 min

Macro Monday Ep 91: US-China trade dispute escalates

The trade dispute between the US and China took a new turn on Friday, as US President Donald Trump threatened 100% tariffs in response to Chinese measures against the US such as export controls on rare earths. Markets responded negatively to the news, says Chris Holdsworth, Chief Investment Strategist, Investec…
13 Oct 8 min