\u201cWhen we first started working on PowerPulse, we didn\u2019t foresee the extent of the uncertainty over electricity security in South Africa,\u201d says Jaco Burger, Head: Corporate Venturing at Standard Bank and one of the founders of PowerPulse – a unique digital platform service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut in 2022, when the country faced record levels of loadshedding \u2013 at the same time that the price of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and battery storage started to drop dramatically \u2013 we saw a massive transition in the energy landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PowerPulse is now changing the way South African businesses reduce their dependence on an unstable national grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaking the switch to sustainable energy solutions started to make solid business sense. So we decided to focus on helping South African businesses to take back control of their energy supply in the simplest, smartest and most secure way \u2013 via an end-to-end digital solution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Eskom fleet Energy Availability Factor (EAF) continued to decline in 2022, with an average EAF of 58.1%, compared to 61.7% for 2021 and 65% for 2020, largely due to the increase of unplanned outages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, 2022 overtook 2021 as the most intensive loadshedding year yet \u2013 and 2023 surpassed the 2022 loadshedding total in its first quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt Standard Bank, we\u2019re compelled to support businesses in challenging times. We\u2019re very conscious of climate change and the need for a just transition,” says Burger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“But ultimately, we must meet the immediate needs of our clients \u2013 and it\u2019s our privilege as bankers to harness financial resources for growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPowerPulse allows businesses to manage uncertainty \u2013 both in terms of unreliable energy supply and how to solve for this \u2013 as well as the uncertainty of which suppliers to trust in a complex and rapidly growing solar industry,” Burger adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We want to introduce trust into a fragmented system so businesses can make more informed, data-driven decisions, endorsed by a brand with the stature of Standard Bank.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen we started the process, we soon realised how little we really knew,\u201d explains Bennie Wannenberg, Manager of the Waboomsrivier Co-Op. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Waboomsrivier Winery in Bre\u00ebrivier used PowerPulse to explore cheaper and more sustainable alternatives to grid power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They now use solar as their primary source of power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPowerPulse helped us assess our feasibility and the sizing of the system, led us through the tender process and ensured we made an easy decision about which solution provider to use,\u201d says Wannenberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While loadshedding is forecast to last until at least 2028, Burger says solar should still be viewed as a short-term problem in the greater scheme of global energy security. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cInstalling fit-for-purpose renewable energy solutions is a long-term solution to a short-term problem,” says Burger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It will have benefits far beyond just \u2018keeping the lights on\u2019 over the next few years \u2013 including hedging against the rising costs of grid-generated power, sharpening your business\u2019s competitive edge, and ensuring you\u2019re ahead of the game as the just energy transition inevitably gathers momentum to shape the business landscape in South Africa and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PowerPulse aims to make every step of the solar journey as simple and business-driven as possible \u00ad\u2013 whether or not you\u2019re an existing Standard Bank client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n