South Africa · For small & medium businesses

Make solar pay you back.

Your electricity bill rises every year whether the lights stay on or not. Solar That Pays shows you how to read your bill, size a system to what you actually use, claim the Section 12B tax deduction and choose between cash, a loan or a PPA, with every calculation worked in rand.

Get the playbook · US$20 See what's inside ↓

Instant PDF + Excel payback model · 24 pages · 11 chapters · Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay

The problem

Why so many business owners overpay for solar

Oversized systems

Panels you can't use in daylight, with no fair export rate, are capital you paid for and never get back.

Quotes built on the wrong rate

Divide your whole bill by your units and payback looks a year shorter than it really is. Fixed charges don't go away.

Money left on the table

Section 12B lets most businesses deduct 100% of a solar system in year one. Many owners never claim it.

Why now

The bill keeps rising, with or without load-shedding

9.01%Eskom increase to municipalities from July 2026

8.3 GWrooftop solar installed in SA, mostly by businesses

79%of businesses with solar already see measurable savings

2.0 yrspayback with Section 12B in the book's worked example

Sources: Eskom/NERSA (2026), Creamer Media (June 2026), Jaltech survey via VUKA Group (Nov 2025). Payback is an illustrative worked example from the book.

Inside · 24 pages + Excel model

Eleven chapters, one question: how fast do I get my money back?

Cover of Solar That Pays, South Africa SME Edition

A page comparing cash, Section 12B, a loan and a PPA over ten years

01The case for solar in 2026
02Read your bill before you read a quote
03Sizing and site: infrastructure requirements
04Payback, Section 12B and how to pay
05Batteries: when they pay and when they don't
06Government support, rules and registration
07Choosing an installer and the contract
08Caution points: what goes wrong
09Digital tools: monitor and prove the saving
10Real South African case studies
11Scope, challenges and the future
+30-day action plan and worksheets

Who it's for

For businesses that work in daylight

Cafés, bakeries and restaurantsOvens, fridges and coffee machines in sun hours.

Workshops and small factoriesMotors and compressors on the day shift.

Clinics, offices and schoolsAir-con and computers, closed at night.

Farms and cold storagePumps and refrigeration you can schedule.

Free updates and what's next

Version 1.0 today, five sector editions planned

Free 1.x updatesNew tariffs, rules and prices, emailed through Gumroad.

Farms & agri-processingPumps, packhouses, ground-mount.

Retail, restaurants & spazaSmall rooftops and critical-load backup.

Manufacturing, offices, installersDemand charges, schools & clinics, an installer sales kit.

About the author

Debasis Panda

BI analyst and automation specialist who builds savings dashboards and payback models, with 10+ years running channel networks and investment cases at Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Auto.

Builds Power BI and Excel models that turn bills and meter data into decisions.
Writes practical playbooks with every number worked through, so you can redo them with your own.

Get the playbook

Check the numbers before you sign a quote

^US$20

One-time · instant PDF + Excel payback model · free 1.x updates

How to read your bill and size a system to daytime use
Payback, Section 12B, loan vs cash vs PPA, worked in rand
Installer checklist, contract clauses and 8 caution points
Excel model: your payback, IRR and 10-year cash flow in minutes

Buy now · US$20

Pay in rand or US dollars. Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay and Google Pay. The download link is emailed to you straight away.

Questions

Good to know

What do I get?

A 24-page PDF playbook and an Excel model that calculates your monthly saving, payback, Section 12B tax saving, IRR and a 10-year comparison of cash, loan and PPA from your own bill.

Are the case studies real?

The farm case studies, Cape Town's Cash for Power figures and the Jaltech business survey come from published South African sources listed in the book. "Thandi" is a clearly labelled illustrative business owner used to work through the calculations.

Is it for homes too?

It's written for businesses (Section 12B, business tariffs, PPAs), but the sizing, bill-reading and installer chapters apply to any property.

Is this tax or financial advice?

No. It's practical business education to help you ask the right questions. Confirm Section 12B with your accountant and the technical design with a registered installer.

How can I pay?

Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay or Google Pay through our secure checkout partner, Gumroad. Prices are shown in your local currency at checkout.