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Annual savings (estimate) Bill savings
R15706.0 124%
Annual savings (estimate) R15706.0
Get full estimate Plan your solar | Price & savings
Bill savings 124%
Based on: 15 kWh/day usage · 5 kW solar · 5 kWh battery · typical tariffs

Solar & Battery Savings in Gauteng, South Africa Get quotes from local installers

Design solar and battery systems for Gauteng using Photonik's professional design platform. Gauteng has the largest installed base of rooftop PV solar systems in South Africa, with 35 new facilities registered in 2024/25. The province's high electricity demand and frequent load shedding have driven rapid solar adoption.

Solar Energy Savings in Gauteng

How Solar Reduces Your Electricity Bills

The calculations below show how your electricity bills change with solar.

What drives your savings in Gauteng

Gauteng’s savings picture is shaped by rapidly rising municipal electricity tariffs — Eskom’s approved increases of 12–13% per year push prices higher with each cycle — and persistent grid instability that, despite a reduction in formal load shedding, still makes battery backup appealing. City Power in Johannesburg requires solar homeowners to convert to postpaid metering for SSEG registration, adding administrative complexity. Solar irradiance is excellent at 5.5+ kWh/m²/day year-round, and the combination of high and rising tariffs with strong generation makes payback periods increasingly attractive.

Your usage & system size Gauteng

Energy usage & tariffs

Energy consumption patterns in Gauteng reflect the province's high-altitude inland climate, with higher heating needs during cold winters and cooling needs during hot summers. The average Gauteng household uses between 10-20 kWh per day, with Johannesburg and Pretoria properties typically consuming more during winter months for heating and summer months for cooling. Energy-efficient properties throughout Gauteng often use significantly less through modern insulation, efficient heating and cooling systems, and smart home technologies.

Before installing solar, consider reducing your energy consumption through improved insulation and energy-efficient appliances. This is particularly valuable in Gauteng, where the province's largest installed base of rooftop PV reflects excellent conditions for solar investment, and reducing consumption can lower required system size and improve returns.

5 kWh 100 kWh
R /kWh
R /kWh
%

lightbulb Note: These are simplified estimates. For detailed tariff inputs and advanced calculations, use the full Photonik app.

Representative flat export rate (feed-in tariff). What you earn per kWh of surplus solar exported to the grid. Your actual rate depends on your provider, plan, and time of day.

See how export rates work →

Estimated at 75% of the retail grid rate. A battery lets you store daytime solar and export during expensive peak hours, so each exported kWh is typically worth more than a flat feed-in tariff. Real returns depend on your time-of-use tariff and battery efficiency.

See how export rates work →

Solar system size

You'll need around 3.9kW of solar to match your average consumption in Gauteng. We recommend sizing between 5.9kW and 7.9kW for optimal results, accounting for daily and seasonal variations. Gauteng enjoys excellent solar potential, with most regions averaging 5.0-5.5 kWh/kW/day annually, amongst the highest in South Africa, with consistent generation throughout most of the year.

A 5.9 kW system in Gauteng generates approximately 26.2 kWh daily on average, with seasonal variation from 3.78 kWh/kW/day in June to 4.87 kWh/kW/day in October. Gauteng's exceptional solar irradiance (2,000-2,100 kWh/m² annually), combined with frequent load shedding and the province's leadership in rooftop solar adoption, makes solar and battery storage particularly attractive for homeowners.

1 kW 20 kW

lightbulb

A 5 kW system in Gauteng can generate approximately 8098.0 kWh annually based on local sun conditions.

Battery storage

With solar-only (no battery), a 5.9 kW system provides approximately 50% self-usage in Gauteng, depending on your consumption patterns, drawing 50% from the grid. Adding a 10 kWh battery increases energy independence to approximately 99% annually, reducing grid reliance to 1%. Battery storage is essential in Gauteng, allowing you to store excess daytime generation for use during load shedding periods and evening hours, providing critical backup power during frequent outages.

Battery storage in South Africa is primarily valued for backup power during load shedding and for maximising self-consumption as feed-in tariffs remain low or unavailable in most municipalities. The more of your own solar you can shift into evening use, the less you buy at peak municipal rates. For accurate battery savings and ROI calculations specific to your municipality, use the full Photonik design tool.

0 kWh 30 kWh

lightbulb A 0kWh battery will make you about 0% self sufficient.

The sweet spot for most households is 5 – 13 kWh — larger batteries add independence but with diminishing payback, especially where feed-in tariffs are low.

System Pricing & Payback for Gauteng

Use the full Photonik solar planning and design platform to model a complete system for your home — including detailed costs, equipment options, and financial returns.

Try Photonik Solar Design

For a quick price guide, see the South Africa solar calculator.

Solar Installers Johannesburg

Example local businesses with published addresses; not ranked by Photonik or by star ratings.

  • Solar Safe — Johannesburg and Gauteng, South Africa
  • Profsolar — Johannesburg, Gauteng
  • Prizm Energy Services — Johannesburg and Gauteng, South Africa
  • Soltra Energy — Greater Johannesburg, Gauteng

Solar Installers Pretoria

Example local businesses with published addresses; not ranked by Photonik or by star ratings.

  • Solar-e Optimum Renewables — Pretoria and Tshwane, Gauteng
  • Solar Safe — Pretoria, South Africa
  • Profsolar — Pretoria and Gauteng, South Africa