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Solar Questions, Straight Answers
Whether you are planning a new system or already have one, here is what people ask us most: what things cost, how long they take, and who does what.
New Solar Systems
How does getting solar through CleanVolts work?
Tell us about your property, your bill and whether you'd rather buy or rent. We match you with a vetted, registered CleanVolts Approved installer or rental provider in your area. They assess your property and give you a written, itemised quote. If you go ahead, they install the system, register it and issue the Certificate of Compliance, and we stay your point of contact throughout. See how it works.
What does CleanVolts cost me?
Nothing. The installer pays us a referral fee when a job goes ahead, and we tell you that upfront. It doesn't change the price you're quoted. How CleanVolts earns.
Should I buy or rent?
Buying, with cash, a bond re-advance or finance, usually gives the biggest saving over the life of the system, and you own it. Renting means nothing upfront and a fixed monthly fee, with maintenance usually included, but you don't own the system. Tell us which you prefer, or ask for both and compare.
Who do I sign the contract with?
If you buy, with the CleanVolts Approved installer who does the work and issues the CoC, so the person doing the electrical work is accountable to you. If you rent, with the rental provider. You never sign a contract with or pay CleanVolts for an installation.
Do you work outside Gauteng?
Our CleanVolts Approved installers cover Gauteng today. Elsewhere in South Africa, send us your details and we'll match you with an approved installer or rental provider where we have one in your area, for homes, businesses and farms. Areas we serve.
Do you do business and farm solar?
Yes. Warehouses, factories, shops, offices and farms. See commercial and industrial solar, farm solar and solar vs diesel generators, or send a business or farm enquiry.
What does a new system cost?
It depends on what you want the system to do, your bills and your roof. Your approved installer gives you a written, itemised quote after the site assessment, with no obligation. For a rough idea first, read what solar costs in 2026 or try the free sizing guide.
Can I add panels or a battery to my existing system?
Often, yes. A Solar Health Check first makes sure the existing system is safe and compliant, because an upgrade is the right moment to fix any gaps. Read more about upgrades.
Health Checks and Audits
Should I book a Health Check or a Full Audit?
Start with a Solar Health Check if the system has never been checked or you are not sure anything is wrong. Go straight to a Full Solar System Audit if you are selling the house, your insurer has asked for proof, or you already know something is wrong. Compare them side by side.
What do they cost?
It depends on the size of the system and whether it has storage. The price is confirmed before anyone comes out.
How long do they take?
A Health Check takes about two hours on site. A Full Audit takes four to six hours for a typical residential system. Either way, you get the written report within three working days.
Do I have to use you for the repairs?
No. You get the report and the quote and you are free to take both elsewhere.
My installer has disappeared. Can you still help?
Yes, and it is a common situation. A lot of the companies that installed during 2022 and 2023 are no longer trading. The system is checked as it is found, without needing the original installer's cooperation.
SSEG, CoCs and Insurance
What is SSEG registration?
Small Scale Embedded Generation. If your solar system is connected to the grid, your municipality, or Eskom if it supplies you directly, requires it to be registered, whether or not you ever feed power back. Registration records what is installed and confirms it meets the standards. CleanVolts Approved installers handle this as part of the job.
Do I have to register if I never export power?
Yes. The requirement is about having generation connected to the grid, not about whether you sell anything back. Systems that can never export still need to be registered.
Can I sell excess power back to the grid?
In some areas, yes. Several municipalities, including the City of Cape Town, credit registered systems for power fed back. The rules and rates differ by municipality, so ask your installer what applies where you live.
What happens if I do not register?
Municipalities have been increasingly willing to enforce this: penalties, a forced disconnection, or a problem at the point of sale when the buyer's conveyancer asks. It is also the sort of thing an insurer can point at when a claim is being assessed.
Why does my insurer want a Certificate of Compliance?
Because solar fires are usually electrical, and an insurer assessing a fire claim wants evidence the installation met the standards. Without a CoC you are arguing from a weaker position at the worst possible time.
Who can issue a CoC?
Only a registered electrical contractor. Every CleanVolts Approved installer issues the CoC under their own registration. What CleanVolts Approved means.
Working With Us
Which areas do you cover? All of South Africa, for homes, businesses and farms. Areas we serve.
When can I reach you? Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00 and Saturday mornings. Call or WhatsApp us on +27 72 368 2960.