Commercial Solar

Your building.
Your power.
Zero capital.

Gridstone designs, funds, installs, and operates your solar system. You pay only for the power it produces — at a rate lower than Eskom. No upfront cost. No maintenance risk. After 10 years, the system is yours.

R10k+
Minimum bill to qualify
10yr
Term — then it's yours
R0
Capital required (PPA/Lease)
30–60%
Typical daytime saving
A typical Gridstone building
R85 000/month bill · Office park · Cape Town
Current monthly billR85 000
System size120 kWp
Monthly PPA paymentR51 000
Eskom (off-peak / nights)R18 000
R16 000
saved every month
R192 000
per year
Who We Work With

If your business runs
during the day, it fits

Solar delivers the biggest saving when power is used while the sun is up. These are the property types we work with every week.

🏭

Warehouses & Distribution

Large roofs, daytime activity, forklifts and lighting. One of the strongest solar fits available.

⚙️

Manufacturing & Industrial

Machines running through the day. High load, predictable usage. Fast payback.

❄️

Cold Storage & Food Production

Refrigeration runs 24/7. Solar covers the daytime load — your most expensive power window.

🏢

Office Parks & Business Centres

Air conditioning, computers, lifts. Standard 8-to-5 use matches peak solar output.

🛒

Shopping Centres & Retail

Trading hours align with sunlight hours. Lower running costs across every tenant.

🏫

Schools, Clinics & Hospitals

Predictable daytime load, long-term operators. Strong case for funded solar.

🌾

Farms, Packhouses & Dairies

Pumps, irrigation, cooling and packing. High daytime usage is standard on farms.

🏗

Developers & Portfolio Owners

Multiple properties, common areas, tenant billing. We structure across a full portfolio.

Not sure if you fit? If your monthly Eskom bill is above R10 000 and you operate during the day, it's worth a 15-minute conversation.

Funding Options

Three ways to structure
your solar with Gridstone

Every business is different. We structure the deal around your cash flow, your balance sheet, and your long-term goals.

Most Popular
PPA

Power Purchase Agreement

Gridstone funds, owns, and operates the system. You buy the electricity it produces at a fixed rate — lower than Eskom. Zero capital, zero risk.

  • ✓ Zero deposit — Gridstone funds 100%
  • ✓ Pay per kWh generated — not a fixed fee
  • ✓ All maintenance and monitoring included
  • ✓ Rate fixed below your current Eskom tariff
  • ✓ System ownership transfers at year 10
  • ✓ Off-balance sheet — no debt on your books
Best for: Businesses that want savings now with no capital commitment.
Equipment Lease

Fixed Monthly Lease

Gridstone funds the system. You pay a fixed monthly lease — lower than your current bill. Predictable cost, no surprises, full maintenance covered.

  • ✓ Zero deposit — Gridstone funds 100%
  • ✓ Fixed monthly payment — budgetable and stable
  • ✓ All maintenance included — no callout fees
  • ✓ Buyout option available from year 5
  • ✓ Ownership transfers automatically at year 10
  • ✓ Can be structured on or off balance sheet
Best for: Businesses that prefer a fixed monthly cost over a variable tariff.
Cash Purchase

Outright Purchase

Buy the system outright. Own it from day one. Keep 100% of the savings and maximise your long-term return on investment.

  • ✓ Full ownership from installation day
  • ✓ 100% of savings go directly to your business
  • ✓ Typical commercial payback: 4–7 years
  • ✓ 25-year panel performance warranty
  • ✓ Capital allowance & tax depreciation benefits
  • ✓ Optional monitoring & maintenance plan
Best for: Businesses with capital who want maximum long-term ROI.
ROI Calculator

What could your
building save?

Adjust to match your property. All figures update instantly.

Your property
R 85 000R10k – R500k
65%Most commercial = 60–80%
1 200 m²100 – 10 000 m²
Your estimate
Recommended system size120 kWp
Estimated system costR 1 740 000
Est. monthly PPA paymentR 51 000
Current monthly billR 85 000
Monthly savingR 16 000
Annual savingR 192 000
CO₂ offset per year144 tonnes
10-year total saving
R 1 920 000
Then the system is yours — free power from year 11

* Based on SA average irradiance, R2.80/kWh commercial tariff and 0.5% annual panel degradation. A formal site assessment will refine these figures.

The Process

From first conversation
to live system — in 5 steps

1

Free Assessment

Share your last 3 electricity bills. We'll tell you within one working day whether your building qualifies and what the numbers look like.

2

System Design

We map your actual load profile, roof layout, and daytime usage to size the system precisely — not a standard package.

3

Structure the Deal

We present your PPA, lease, or purchase proposal. Legal documents, COC requirements and municipality approvals all handled by us.

4

Installation

Accredited teams install around your operating hours. Most commercial systems are complete within 2–4 weeks on site.

5

Live Monitoring

System goes live. We monitor output daily, handle all maintenance, and provide transparent monthly billing. You just pay less.

The Long View

What the contract looks like
— and what happens at the end

We put all of this in the agreement before you sign. No surprises after the fact.

Y1–5

You save. We operate.

Gridstone monitors, maintains, and repairs the system. You pay your PPA or lease — lower than Eskom. No callout fees, no surprise costs, no risk on your side.

Y5+

Buyout option opens

From year 5, you have the right to purchase the system at a pre-agreed price set in your contract before signing. Transparent upfront — no negotiation after the fact.

Y10

Ownership transfers — automatically

No balloon payment. No buy-out fee. The system becomes yours at end of term. With a 25-year panel lifespan, that's 15+ years of essentially free daytime power remaining.

Do I Qualify?

Tick what applies
to your property

Not every building is the right fit — and we'd rather say so upfront than waste your time. Tick what applies to see where you stand.

✓
My monthly electricity bill is above R10 000
✓
My business or tenants operate mainly during the day
✓
I own the property or have long-term control of the building
✓
There is suitable roof, carport, or yard space available
✓
The property is commercial, industrial, or agricultural
✓
My electricity demand is relatively stable month to month
✓
I am looking to act within the next 6 months
Select the criteria that apply to your property.
Start your assessment
Share your last 3 electricity bills — we respond within one working day.

We only use this to contact you. Nothing else.

FAQ

What businesses ask us

Straight answers. No jargon. If something isn't here, ask us directly.

Most commercial clients save between 30% and 60% on their daytime electricity costs. The exact number depends on how much power you use during the day, how much roof or yard space you have, and your current Eskom tariff. Before we propose anything, we look at your last three months of bills and give you a realistic number — not a sales pitch.
On a PPA, you pay per kilowatt-hour generated — so your payment varies slightly with the weather and season, but you're always paying less than Eskom's rate. On a lease, you pay a fixed monthly amount regardless of how much the system generates. Both structures include full maintenance by Gridstone. We'll recommend which suits your business better based on your usage profile.
On a PPA or lease, no — Gridstone funds 100% of the system. There is no deposit, no design fee, and no installation cost. You only pay once the system is live and generating power. For a cash purchase, you pay the agreed system cost and own the system from day one.
On a PPA or lease, Gridstone owns and maintains the system for the full 10-year contract period. That means we carry all maintenance costs, repair costs, and monitoring. There are no callout fees. At the end of year 10, ownership transfers to you automatically at no additional cost. On a cash purchase, you own the system from day one.
The agreement transfers to the new property owner along with the building. Most buyers view this positively — they're acquiring a building with lower operating costs already built in. We'll engage directly with your attorney and the buyer to make the transfer clean. We've structured the agreement so it doesn't complicate a standard commercial property transaction.
During daylight hours, most grid-tied commercial systems continue generating even during load shedding, depending on your inverter configuration and municipality. This means your daytime operations often run unaffected. After hours or on heavily overcast days, the grid takes over. If your operation requires 24/7 backup, we can structure a battery storage solution — but that's a separate conversation and cost.
Ownership transfers to you automatically. No balloon payment, no buyout fee, no additional paperwork. From that point the system is yours and the power it produces is effectively free. Quality commercial solar panels carry a 25-year performance warranty, so you'll typically have 15 or more years of free daytime electricity remaining after the contract ends. That's where the real long-term value sits.
Yes. For portfolio owners and property funds, we can structure a single agreement across multiple properties with consolidated billing. Each site is designed individually, but the commercial relationship is managed as a single account. If you're a landlord with tenants, we can also structure sub-metering and tenant billing into the design.

Let's see if your building fits.

Share your last 3 electricity bills. We'll come back within one working day with a realistic picture of what solar can do for your property — and what it would cost you. If it doesn't fit, we'll tell you that too.

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