Author: Francois Van Themaat

For decades, the South African residential estate model has relied on a centralised utility for power. However, a structural shift is underway. Rising electricity costs, evolving tariff structures, and a sustained decline in the cost of solar modules and lithium-ion batteries are rapidly changing the economics of energy supply, eroding the case for remaining grid-dependent. For property developers and Homeowners’ Associations (HOAs), the conversation has moved from temporary backup power to full energy independence. At its core, this shift is about cost savings and security of supply. While security was the primary driver during peak load shedding, the relative stabilisation…