Severe loadshedding means alternative energy options are being explored in households across the country at the moment. In response, Standard Bank has developed a new online tool to help you find out whether you can install rooftop solar at home.
The Solar Score tool determines how much electricity homeowners could get out of installing solar PV. The tool currently works in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Tshwane, and there are plans to expand it.
The data uses the information of sun irradiation (light intensity), the direction and the slope of the roof, and its surface area. You are then given a Solar Score between 0 and 100.
A low score is 0-40 and indicates that it would not be beneficial to install solar PV. You can read more about what gives your roof a low score on the Look See website.
Also read: Loadshedding: Solar energy is now less expensive than Eskom
A score of 40-50 tells you that installing a solar PV would be somewhat beneficial, but the output from the system may be limited.
Standard Bank’s head of digital and e-commerce, Andrew van der Hoven, says that only about 10% to 15% of people who used the tool have had a low score.
An average score is 50-60 and means that a solar installation would be beneficial. A score between 60-70 is a good score and indicates “above-average-feasibility” for installing a solar PV.
Scoring 70-100 means you have the best solar PV potential and could even go off-grid.
The tool is intended to help equip people with the information they need to make choices about energy in the current climate.
“We wanted to give people more awareness of what their potential could be. It has helped create awareness and understanding of solar PV, which is also one of the ways people can save money on their homes,” says Van Der Hoven.
After receiving your solar score, Standard Bank gives you the option to conduct a home power analysis. If agreed, they will send you your municipal bill to get a sense of what the savings would be for you.
You can make use of the tool here.
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