For businesses and households now navigating the post-load-shedding solar boom, it's worth knowing that South Africa's renewable energy policy groundwork — procurement frameworks, subsidy programmes, grid integration experience — was laid over a decade earlier than most current rooftop solar adopters realise.
Source: Department of Electricity and Energy
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Solar Water Heater Programme about electricity or hot water?
Hot water specifically — solar thermal geysers, not photovoltaic panels for electricity generation, which is a separate technology.
What was REIPPPP designed to achieve?
It opened South Africa's electricity generation to private renewable energy investment through a competitive bidding process, diversifying the country's energy mix beyond Eskom-only generation.
Did these early programmes influence today's rooftop solar boom?
Indirectly — they built regulatory, technical and market experience with renewables well before load shedding drove a surge in private residential and commercial solar adoption.