Under net billing, what you export to the grid pays far less than what you buy from it. So the best solar is the solar you use yourself, right when it’s made. And that’s exactly where shops, offices, clinics and small factories have an edge over homes.
- Business hours line up with peak sun hours.
- More of your solar is used directly, not exported at low rates.
- Batteries can be small or skipped if load shedding is limited.
- Size around your daytime load, not your total monthly bill.
The daytime advantage
A typical home uses a lot of power in the evening and at night. A shop or office does the opposite: lights, computers, ACs, fridges and machines run from 10 am to 6 or 7 pm. That overlaps almost perfectly with solar production. More of every unit you generate replaces an expensive unit you’d otherwise buy.
How to size it
Instead of starting from the monthly bill, list what runs during business hours:
- Number of ACs and their tonnage
- Lights, fans, computers, printers
- Display fridges, chillers, freezers
- Any machines: sewing, cutting, small motors
Put them into our load calculator for a starting figure. A small shop with fans, lights and one fridge may be fine with 1.2 to 3kW. A clinic or office with two or three ACs is often in the 6 to 10kW range.
Do you need batteries?
If your area has little load shedding during business hours, a hybrid inverter running from panels and grid, with a small battery or none at first, is often the best value. If load shedding hits during the day, a battery keeps tills, lights and fridges running.
Think about the counter
Many shopkeepers’ main fear is the POS, CCTV and internet going off. Even a small lithium battery dedicated to those essentials makes a big difference to daily stress.
Commercial connections
Commercial and industrial tariffs are high, which shortens payback. Bigger sites with three-phase supply may suit a three-phase inverter. See our hybrid inverter guide for options, or talk to us about the Everon commercial range.
Running a shop, clinic or office?
Send us your business hours and main equipment. We’ll suggest a system that pays back fast.