Vivica Group, which was established by bringing powerhouse local brands such as Vox, Frogfoot, Everlytic and Braintree into the same group , has unveiled its latest venture: Stage Zero, a home solar provider. This significant development marks the culmination of extensive research and innovation, reflecting Vivica Group’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions.
With Stage Zero, the company aims to revolutionise the way households harness solar power, promising a brighter, eco-friendly future for all.
Stage Zero is not just another provider of solar or battery backup systems attempting to position a new product, says Stage Zero CEO, Abraham van der Merwe.
Where it differs drastically from everything currently available to South Africans is that the business sells a value proposition – in the form of utility cost savings or loadshedding protection – without the burden of long-term risk currently associated with the industry.
“We did things differently,” explains Van Der Merwe. “We looked at the industry and noticed several problems. First, no one was making a clear value proposition to the customer. In other words, what are you going to achieve? Will you save money, or will you simply be paying extra on top of your utility bill? Will you be guaranteed to survive load shedding?
“Roughly one third of households don’t have access to their rooftops as they live in multi dwelling units. The same applies to many businesses, e.g. retailers in shopping malls or commercial customers in business parks. These same customers require protection from load shedding even though solar is not an option. We developed a range of backup only solutions which are identical to their solar rooftop equivalents and have already deployed these at a number of residential and commercial customers including well known retailers such as Edgars, LEGiT, KEEDO and Clothing Junction. For those on the move we also created a range of portable power solutions.”
Van Der Merwe explains that after analysing what was currently available to South African households, the team developed Stage Zero as a revolutionary residential utility provider that addresses every one of the problems it found in the industry currently, culminating in a clear value proposition.
Stage Zero will enter into short-term contracts with homeowners who wish to save on their utility bills or reduce their exposure to load shedding. Stage Zero will meet these obligations through harnessing solar power or through its battery backup solutions – which are attractive and are owned and maintained by Stage Zero throughout the contract.
The crux of the Stage Zero proposition, he says, is that it is a short-term utility contract with no obligation around the equipment once the service is no longer needed.
“The customer dashboard really sets Stage Zero apart,” explains Van Der Merwe. “A customer can see actual performance against Stage Zero service guarantees, how the system is functioning, the monetary and carbon emissions savings, pay their bill, and more. Beyond that, the customer has easy access to all the contracts Stage Zero has entered into on its behalf to take care of the compliance obligations we have highlighted as crucial.”
Ultimately, he says, Stage Zero signifies a shift from households owning a problem to a company that solves a problem for households, taking care of every step of the journey, from compliance to superior aesthetics to installation, and maintenance, and more.
Van der Merwe says it was crucial to simplify matters for consumers in an unnecessarily complicated market. “Stage Zero’s genesis comes from the need to provide a simple, accessible and easy-to-understand solution that resonates with consumers. It represents the next phase of renewable energy in the consumer sector. Beyond this, an important focus point for Stage Zero will be a website that walks the consumer through each step of the power discussion, educating them, putting the power in their hands, so to speak.”
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