Ok – That Is It! I Have Had Enough!

Let’s chat about one hyphenated word that is bandied about very irresponsibly when it comes to Solar Installations.

I have seen many adverts, videos and postings about going OFF-GRID.

So many in fact that the word “OFF-GRID” is used to denote any solar installation.

The ONLY time that one can refer to “OFF-GRID” is when you sever your umbilical cord to your electricity supplier – Eskom or Local Municipality.

Put another way; “When you no longer have an electricity cable coming from the street into your home.”

Or, another way; “When you no longer have a Municipal or Eskom Meter in your home”

How about this way; “When you no longer receive a bill for electricity from Eskom or your Local Municipality”

In other words that 5kW Inverter, 5kWh battery and 12 solar panels is NOT “OFF-GRID”.

If you have an electricity meter and self consume at home to REDUCE your electricity consumption then you are STILL connected to the GRID.

Making Your Own Electricity at home comes in three ‘flavours’:

Grid Tie Only (no battery, no backup, Electricity meter in place) – the cheapest and most efficient way to quickly reduce your bills and connected to the GRID.
Hybrid (includes battery, Electricity meter in place) – Over panel on the system, mid range cost and connected to the GRID.
OFF-GRID (Same as Hybrid but with more batteries and panels plus another form of power generation on standby – generator, wind turbine etc) – most expensive option AND completely OFF-GRID.

If you want the brutal truth then chat to Straton Solar – https://straton.co.za/solar