When looking back on 2023, numerous things spring to mind, from the devastating world conflicts that have forced nations to reconsider their dependence on fossil fuel imports to the record-high energy bills still causing difficulties for countless home and business owners.

These matters had mixed effects on the international energy landscape, resulting in an ever-changing renewables market that has been difficult for people to keep faith in at times — especially South Africa, where electricity supplies have always been complicated.

However, when the energy market got tough, the renewable energy market got tougher.

For the most part, 2023 saw the South African government keep up efforts to bolster its green energy supplies. Plus, set on supporting populations through a difficult year, KODAK Solar Products provided bigger, better PV system components that help those who need it the most.

How did 2023 go for South Africa’s energy landscape and KODAK Solar Products on the whole, and what can we expect from 2024? Find out below…

Load shedding yo-yoed and installed capacity rose

 

Throughout 2023, load shedding was largely unpredictable, with more extreme highs and lows than ever before.

Before the colder months set in, South Africa’s electricity minister warned that an exceptionally difficult winter was on its way — not due to bad weather, but because demand for electricity was massively outstripping supplies and Stage 8 blackouts were becoming a real possibility.

As The Outlier load shedding data illustrates, the problem peaked in May, when Stage 6 load shedding became an almost everyday occurrence. Fortunately, though, this did not last forever.

The government introduced new renewable tax incentives for home and business owners at the end of summer, helping solar rooftop PV increase by an astonishing 349% from March to June 2023. Shortly after, load shedding dropped drastically — with August and October seeing the least power outages (and, on some days, none at all).

Although load shedding did eventually worsen in November and December as a result of unplanned breakdowns, the future looks bright. Bloomberg NERF sees South Africa boasting 50GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 (36GW of which will be solar) and adding 41GW of additional renewable capacity by 2040.

So, what about KODAK Solar Products’ year?

Exceptional new products hit the market

 

KODAK Solar Products hit the ground running at the start of 2023, having seen great success with its then latest releases from 2022.

After months of hard work from PV product experts, KODAK Solar Products launched the LP inverter range in July. The models in this collection came with all the key features customers have come to expect from the brand, including built-in Wi-Fi for convenient remote monitoring, and much, much more.

Designed specifically for installations in the sub-Saharan African region, these products offer an LCD control panel, AC/solar charger priority and generator compatibility — resulting in a dynamic solution affording users greater control over their energy supply. Plus, short reaction times as fast as 10 milliseconds prevent power interruptions.

What’s more, the LP inverters boast overload, overtemperature and short-circuiting protection, as well as a battery equalisation function. As such, the power promised by the inverter is not just reliable, but safe and long-lasting too.

Also in 2023, KODAK Solar Products developed its first all-in-one solution: the ESS-510. This hybrid product is lightweight, compact and scalable for grid-tied, off-grid and backup systems, with a six-unit parallel capability.

All these releases were displayed in a new KODAK Solar Products brochure released in 2023, which detailed expanded portfolio and product packages — many of which were updated to include the exceptional BL5.0 battery.

Now, KODAK Solar Products is working on growing its offering to offer even more trustworthy energy solutions in 2024. Keep an eye out for the next release!

If you are also planning big things for 2024, get in touch with a skilled local installer today. Your energy transition is just a phone call away…