Solar still pays. But Eskom changed the maths.
From 1 April 2026 a big slice of your Homeflex bill is a fixed daily charge — billed whether you pull a single kWh or not. Solar can zero your energy charge, but it cannot touch that floor. Here's what your system really saves, and how long it takes to pay itself back.
Step 1 · Your supply & usage
Grid-tied solar legally requires a time-of-use tariff, so this assumes Homeflex. Pick your supply size — it sets your fixed daily charge.
Step 2 · Your solar system
Step 3 · What it costs to install
Estimated from your system size at typical 2026 SA pricing. Got an installer quote? Edit any line to match it — the total drives the payback.
What it saves you
Solar locks in today's price — so the more electricity inflates, the bigger your saving grows each year. SA electricity has risen well above CPI for over a decade; 10% is a fair long-run estimate.
Your bill never drops below R701 a month
That's the fixed daily charge on Homeflex 1 — R23,02/day, or R8 409 a year — billed even if your panels carry every single kWh. Before April 2026 far more of the bill was usage-based, so solar shaved off more. Now the fixed floor stays put.
Solar kills the energy charge, so the fixed charge becomes a much bigger share of what's left. It's still worth it — just don't expect a near-zero bill the way you could a few years ago.
Where the money goes
Both bars are drawn to the same scale — your pre-solar bill of R3 289.
Your energy flow each month
Savings compound with the electricity-inflation rate you set above. Not modelled: panels lose roughly 0.5% output a year, and inverters or batteries usually need replacing around year 10–15 — so a real 20-year figure carries one replacement cost. Those two roughly offset a slice of the inflation upside, so treat this as a planning estimate.