Solar designed on your own numbers, for your home or business.
Clean solar power that fits your budget, no big deposit needed.
Whether you run a factory or a family home, pick a plan that saves you money.
Tired of watching your power bill climb, with no end in sight?
Does this sound familiar?
We believe your cash should build your future, not sit on a roof.
Get control of your power costs, for your business and your home.
Running a business or a home in South Africa means watching your power bill rise every year, with no say over the price. You want solar that is designed for your real usage, works properly on day one, and does not add a new headache to your day.
ZenSolar designs every system, for businesses and homes across South Africa. We fit FoxESS and Sigenergy inverters and batteries, with tier 1 panels, and every system carries a 10-year swap-out warranty. EFJS Printing paid back its investment in 2.5 years.
And we can do the same for you.
The free energy assessment
Every job starts the same way: with one free energy assessment.
What it includes:
At the end, you get a report that shows your recommended system size, the equipment list, and how long the system takes to pay for itself.
If you already have solar that is not performing well, even if another installer put it in, ZenSolar can assess it first. Only once you agree to a proper repair does the work go ahead.
Finance, in plain terms
ZenSolar works with major funders to offer four ways to pay. A PPA is for businesses only.
| Option | Who it suits | Who owns the system | Upfront cost | What you pay each month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPA | Businesses only | ZenSolar or its funder, for the life of the agreement | None | A bill for the solar power you use, per unit. The rate is agreed up front and rises each year by an amount set in the agreement |
| Rent to own | Homes and businesses who want to own the system once payments end | The funder holds ownership as security until the last payment, then it transfers to you | Low or none, depending on the deal | Yes, fixed instalments over the agreed term |
| Lease | Homes and businesses who want solar now, with the flexibility to upgrade later | The funder, for the life of the agreement | None | Yes, a fixed rental fee |
| Cash | Homes and businesses who want to own the system outright from day one | You, from day one | Full cost paid upfront | No |
A PPA usually runs 10 years or more, though a shorter term is possible. Rent to own with ZenSolar runs from 3 years up to 15 years, depending on the size of the deal and your company's history, and maintenance and repairs during the term are handled as part of the agreement. A lease may include a buy-out option, but not every funder offers one. It depends on the funder and the agreement.
A business that buys its system with cash may also be able to claim the Section 12B tax allowance on the purchase. Ask your tax adviser, since this depends on your business's own tax position.
Finance available through South Africa’s leading banks
Installation and maintenance
From first call to switch-on, most jobs take about 1 to 3 weeks. How long yours takes depends on how fast approvals come through, whether your paperwork is in order, and the size of your system.
Every SSEG application and Certificate of Compliance is our job, not yours: CoC and SSEG application handled for you. Any municipal SSEG fee and meter cost is already included in ZenSolar's quote, so it does not turn up as a surprise later.
The mounting we use is designed to protect your roof warranty, and every job gets sign off from a structural engineer before it goes ahead.
Once your system is live, you can see how it performs in an app, and you get pop-up notifications.
Every FoxESS and Sigenergy inverter and battery ZenSolar fits carries a 10-year swap-out warranty. If a covered part fails inside that period, it gets swapped out.
Maintenance is not one fixed package. It depends on the options you pick when you sign up.
From first call to switch-on
Here is roughly what happens, step by step. Bigger or more complex sites can take longer than the typical range.
| Step | What happens | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | You book your free energy assessment | You |
| 2 | ZenSolar reviews your bill, visits or logs your site, and designs your system. This part alone usually takes about 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the site | ZenSolar |
| 3 | You get your report and choose how to pay: cash, PPA (business only), rent to own, or lease | You and ZenSolar |
| 4 | ZenSolar handles your SSEG application with your municipality or Eskom. The fee and any meter cost are already in your quote | ZenSolar |
| 5 | Your system is installed by our team and preferred, vetted installers approved by the brands after a structural engineer's sign-off | ZenSolar's team |
| 6 | A registered electrician issues your Certificate of Compliance, your system is switched on, and monitoring begins | ZenSolar |
Who we help
ZenSolar fits systems for businesses first, then homes. On the business side, that means factories, warehouses, printing works, retail stores, offices, schools, and farms.
| Who | Typical system size |
|---|---|
| Medium to bigger businesses | 300kW and up |
| Businesses | 30kW to 300kW |
| Homes | 6kW to 16kW on average |
See our commercial solar page · See our residential solar page
Where we work
ZenSolar works in five cities across South Africa. Each one runs its own process for connecting solar to the grid, called SSEG (small scale embedded generation).
Johannesburg: City Power supplies most of the city's electricity. Grid tied systems need SSEG registration through City Power's own process.
Pretoria: The City of Tshwane runs its own SSEG application under its embedded generation policy. If you want to feed extra power back into the grid, a bi-directional meter has to be fitted first.
Cape Town: The City of Cape Town requires grid tied systems to use an approved inverter and to have professional sign off before they connect.
Durban: eThekwini is the local electricity supplier, and grid tied systems there need its SSEG approval too.
Bloemfontein: Centlec runs Bloemfontein's SSEG process, using a prescribed application form, and requires every system to meet the national NRS 097-2 standard.
Wherever you are, ZenSolar's SSEG fee and meter cost are already included in your quote.
Real jobs, real numbers
EFJS Printing
Hoërskool Dinamika
Testimonial
ZenSolar was excellent in all that they did. The installation at my Printing Shop and home was done to the highest standard.
Bernard Synman
Director of EFJS printing
ZenSolar did an amazing job for us at Hoërskool Dinamika. The work was done promptly and very neat. We are very happy.
Jaco Pretorius
Vice Principal, Dinamika Hoërskool
The perfect solution for not being troubled by outages anymore I had a tailor made solution for my Business…..
Cyrielle Malaval
Owner of Stone Castle
The rules that apply to every job
Any grid tied solar system in South Africa falls under SSEG, small scale embedded generation. This is the national category for rooftop solar and other small generators connected to the electricity network, and it applies whether your local supplier is Eskom or your municipality.
Your inverter has to meet NRS 097-2-1, the national safety standard for equipment connected to the grid. It sets rules for voltage limits, safe disconnection and fault handling, and the inverter's safety function has to be tested by an accredited lab.
A Certificate of Compliance, a CoC, has to be issued by a registered electrician before your system is connected. This applies to every electrical installation in South Africa, not only solar.
Your system also needs approval from whichever entity supplies your electricity: Eskom or your local municipality. ZenSolar handles this for you: CoC and SSEG application handled for you.
How to choose a solar installer
Use this checklist with any installer you are considering, not only ZenSolar.
What drives the cost
There is no single price for a solar system, because no two sites are the same. The things that change the cost most are:
The only way to get a number that means anything is a free energy assessment based on your own usage. You can also try ZenSolar's calculators for a general idea.
What you can expect from us
Skip the big deposit
With flexible finance, businesses and homes can spread the cost of a system instead of paying it all upfront, which means you start saving without draining your cash.
Know your costs before you sign
Pick cash, rent to own or a lease, or a PPA if you are a business. Your terms are set out before you sign, which means you can plan your budget without guessing.
Stress-free system performance
We install and maintain your system, which means your solar keeps running without you chasing repairs.
No surprise costs for 10 years
Every system carries a 10-year swap-out warranty on the inverter and battery, which means a faulty part gets replaced at no extra cost to you.
Built for your site
We design every system in house, for your roof, your usage and your budget, which means a system sized right for a business or a home, not a generic template.
Paperwork handled for you
CoC and SSEG application handled for you, which means your system is approved and connected without you chasing red tape.
See your system in an app
You see how your system performs in an app and get pop-up notifications, which means you always know what your solar is doing.
Backed by trusted brands
We fit FoxESS and Sigenergy inverters and batteries, with tier 1 solar panels, which means your system is built on brands designed to last.
Our 3-Step solar success plan
1
Book your free energy assessment
We review your bill and usage, look at your site, and, for bigger jobs, log your actual usage on site, so we know exactly where your money is going and how solar can help.
2
Get your custom
solar plan
We design a system sized to your real demand, work out your finance options, and hand you a written report before you commit to anything.
3
Switch on and enjoy the savings
We install and maintain your solar system with swap-out warranties and smart automation so you can swap your bill and keep more cash in your pocket.
How are we different?
With us
- 10-year swap-out warranty
- Free energy assessment + ROI report
- CoC and SSEG handled, fees and meter costs in your quote
With them
- Limited or no support
- Generic estimate
- Paperwork and fees that turn up after you sign
Still have questions?
These are the questions South Africans actually search for. Here are straight answers, business first.
Start with a written design based on your own site, not a generic template. That is what ZenSolar's free energy assessment produces. Check the installer is registered and can issue a Certificate of Compliance, ask for the warranty in writing, and make sure someone monitors your system after it goes live. ZenSolar covers all four: a real assessment, registration, a 10-year swap-out warranty, and ongoing monitoring.
It depends on your system size, how much battery storage you want, your roof or site, and whether you are on single or three phase power. Businesses generally need bigger systems than homes, which changes the price. The only way to get a number that means anything is a free energy assessment based on your own usage, or try ZenSolar's calculators for a general idea.
It starts with a review of your electricity bill and usage pattern, including demand charges if you run a business. ZenSolar looks at your site, and for bigger jobs can log your actual usage before sizing anything. You get a system design sized to your real demand and a report at the end, with your system size, equipment list and payback time. Start your free energy assessment to see your own numbers.
Four: a PPA for businesses only, rent to own, lease, or cash, each suiting a different situation. A PPA means you pay only for the solar electricity the system produces, and ZenSolar or its funder owns the system. Rent to own and lease both offer fixed monthly payments, with ownership at the end of a rent to own agreement.
Yes. ZenSolar can connect a new solar system to an existing diesel generator, so the two work together instead of one replacing the other. This is common on business sites that already rely on a generator and want to add solar without starting from scratch.
No, done properly it protects it. ZenSolar's mounting method is designed to protect your existing roof warranty, and every job gets sign off from a structural engineer before installation starts, so the roof itself is checked, not just the panels on top of it.
It depends on the options you choose when you sign up. ZenSolar does not sell one fixed maintenance package, because sites and equipment vary. Every system already carries a 10-year swap-out warranty and local and remote monitoring as standard, on top of whichever maintenance option you pick.
Most jobs take about 1 to 3 weeks from your first call to the day your system switches on. It depends on how quickly approvals come through, whether your paperwork is ready, and the size of your system. Bigger or more complex sites can take longer.
It covers the inverter and battery ZenSolar fits: FoxESS and Sigenergy. If a covered part fails within 10 years, it gets swapped out rather than repaired piecemeal, so you are not left chasing spare parts or paying for a replacement yourself.
Yes, but only after ZenSolar has assessed it first. If your existing system is underperforming, even one another installer put in, ZenSolar will look at it and only take on the work once you agree to a proper repair, not a quick patch.
Still have a question? Get in touch and we will answer it directly.