Clean energy provider Sosimple Energy is protecting businesses in South Africa against rising electricity prices, helping them to save money through its solar installation offerings.

The offering, which requires no investment and no costs for maintenance or insurance, provides businesses with an opportunity to save more than 20% on their electricity costs.

To achieve this, Sosimple installs a solar installation onto buildings’ roofs, supplying energy directly to customers while maintaining the existing utility as a backup.

Electricity rates are based on actual usage, with guaranteed cost savings of 20%+, or between 10c/kWh and 30c/kWh, which can translate to savings of more than R200 000 a year.

The offer is “Sosimple”, the company says, noting that the company guarantees:

• Customers pay only for the kilowatt-hours used, at a low tariff

• Prices are at least 10% to 20%+ lower than municipal rates

• Zero up-front investment

• No hidden fees, no hassle

• Sosimple invests in the solar system infrastructure

• Sosimple pays for maintenance and insurance

• Prices are agreed upfront for a ten-year period, with increases linked to inflation

Case Study 1:

Sosimple is saving the tenants at a 22 000 m² Durban-based industrial business park R1.00 (35%) on every kWh consumed from Day 1.

This adds up to R300 000 of savings in the first year, which grows to R800 000 a year as

State-owned power utility Eskom’s prices continue to rise.

Together with the company’s trusted and experienced partners, it has installed a 300 kWp system, supplying around 60% of the daytime energy needs of this site.

Within four weeks, Sosimple has provided the business park with an opportunity to save up to R8.5-million, while simultaneously decreasing the carbon footprint by 290 t/y.

Case Study 2:

Sosimple is also helping a supermarket in Krugersdorp combat load-shedding, as the company’s system is integrated with the supermarket’s generator.

During load-shedding, the generator’s running cost is reduced by between 20% and 40%, meaning that the supermarket is saving 50c (35%) on every kilowatt-hour being consumed, at zero investment and zero solar running costs for the customer.

In addition to this, Sosimple pays a rooftop rental to the landlord of this supermarket, to the value of R3.3-million, which it says is how it “likes to create partnerships where all parties involved benefit”.

The company’s escalation is at CPI only (about 5%), while municipal rates go up at a much faster pace, meaning that the savings of this supermarket increase year-on-year.

In total, Sosimple is installing a 450 000 Wp flush mount system, supplying about 70% of the daytime energy needs of this supermarket.