Solareff is delighted to announce that our Chief Commercial Officer, DeVilliers Botha, has been elected Chairperson of the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) Governing Committee (GovCo) for the 2026 – 2028 term.

This significant appointment reflects DeVilliers’ extensive industry experience, strategic leadership, and longstanding commitment to advancing South Africa’s renewable energy sector. As Chairperson, he will help guide SAPVIA’s strategic direction and support the association’s efforts to strengthen the solar PV and energy storage industry, encourage collaboration across the sector, and contribute to the country’s clean energy transition. Having played an active role with SAPVIA for many years, DeVilliers has consistently advocated for sustainable energy solutions, industry growth, and meaningful stakeholder engagement. His election to this leadership position is not only a recognition of his individual contribution to the sector but also highlights the important role that industry collaboration plays in accelerating South Africa’s energy future.

The SAPVIA Governing Committee for the 2026 – 2028 term brings together a diverse group of industry leaders with extensive expertise across the solar PV and energy storage value chain. Together, the Committee will provide strategic oversight and help advance SAPVIA’s vision of a thriving, sustainable, and inclusive renewable energy sector.

The newly elected Governing Committee members are:

• DeVilliers Botha
• Adv Mtho Xulu
• Antje Klauss-Vorreiter
• Frank Spencer
• Prenesen Govender
• Ziska Mc Gilton
• Dr Wale Aboyade

Congratulations to the entire Governing Committee on their election. Solareff wish them every success as they take on the responsibility of guiding one of South Africa’s most important renewable energy industry bodies. As South Africa continues to expand its renewable energy capacity and strengthen energy security, the role of industry associations such as SAPVIA remains vital in fostering collaboration, promoting investment, and supporting the development of policies that enable long-term sector growth.

We are immensely proud to see DeVilliers recognised by his peers and look forward to the positive impact his leadership will have on the solar industry and the broader energy transition in South Africa.

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LONGi Africa Press Release:

At Intersolar Europe, LONGi Africa and Solareff, one of South Africa’s most experienced C&I solar EPC companies, signed a strategic partnership agreement to accelerate the deployment of high-performance solar solutions across the South African market.

As part of this collaboration, LONGi’s Hi-MO X10 BC2.0 Bifacial Anti-Dust 650W modules will power South Africa’s largest rooftop solar PV installation. 

Built on LONGi’s advanced BC technology, the Hi-MO X10 combines industry-leading efficiency with outstanding reliability and Anti-Dust performance, helping maximise energy yield and reduce O&M costs for large commercial rooftops.

Founded in 2010, Solareff has established itself as one of South Africa’s leading renewable energy specialists, delivering more than 290MWp of commissioned and ongoing solar projects across Southern Africa.

We were honoured to celebrate this milestone together with DeVilliers Botha, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Solareff.

This partnership reflects our shared commitment to delivering premium technology, engineering excellence and long-term value for South African businesses.

Together, we are advancing the next generation of commercial solar and Powering Africa as ONE.

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Solareff was proud to participate in the inaugural RE+ South Africa 2026, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre, marking an important milestone for the renewable energy sector in the region.

Bringing together leading voices from across the energy landscape, the event created a valuable platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and forward-looking discussions on Africa’s energy future.

A key highlight was a compelling session led by DeVilliers Botha, Chief Commercial Officer at Solareff, titled “Expansion of Microgrids – Threat or Opportunity?”. The session sparked engaging and thought-provoking dialogue, unpacking the evolving role of microgrids in Africa’s rapidly changing energy environment.

As energy resilience and sustainability continue to rise on the agenda for businesses and municipalities, the discussion explored whether the growth of microgrids presents a challenge to traditional energy models or an opportunity to accelerate progress. The clear takeaway: microgrids are not merely a disruptor, they are a powerful enabler of reliable, decentralised energy solutions. With increasing demand for energy security and independence, microgrids are gaining traction as a flexible and scalable solution. They support the integration of renewable energy, reduce reliance on centralised infrastructure, and play a critical role in strengthening grid resilience across the continent. The session also underscored the importance of collaboration in unlocking the full potential of these systems. From developers and technology providers to policymakers and end users, a collective approach will be key to driving meaningful impact.

Solareff extends its sincere thanks to the organisers of the inaugural RE+ South Africa for creating an insightful and engaging platform, as well as to fellow industry leaders and attendees who contributed to the discussion. As Africa’s energy transition continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the future of energy will be shaped by collaboration, innovation, and solutions that are already making an impact today.

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Enlit Africa 2026 once again brought together energy leaders, policymakers, and innovators from across the continent, creating a platform for critical conversations shaping the future of Africa’s power sector. Among the highlights was a panel discussion exploring one of the most transformative shifts in the industry: the rise of the prosumer.

Solareff’s Chief Commercial Officer, DeVilliers Botha, joined a distinguished panel of experts for a session titled: “The Prosumer Revolution: Redesigning the System to Accommodate Bi-Directional Energy.”

Responding to a Changing Energy Landscape

As decentralised energy generation continues to gain momentum, the traditional role of electricity consumers is evolving. Increasingly, businesses and households are becoming “prosumers”, simultaneously producing and consuming electricity, fundamentally changing how energy systems are designed and managed.

The panel explored how utilities, regulators, and private sector players can effectively respond to this shift, focusing on three key areas:

• Fair tariff and compensation models to ensure equitable value for energy generated and fed back into the grid
• Technical and operational integration to support reliable, efficient bi-directional energy flows
• Policy and regulatory certainty to enable long-term investment and innovation

These themes reflect broader industry discussions at Enlit Africa 2026, where the transition to more flexible, decentralised energy systems remains a central priority.

A Continental Perspective

The session brought together diverse perspectives from across Africa’s energy landscape, highlighting both shared challenges and region-specific considerations:

• DeVilliers Botha, Chief Commercial Officer, Solareff
• Dr Dalal Helmi, Head Sector for Electricity Market and Cross-Border Interconnection, Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) [Virtual]
• Babatunde Osadare, Chief Legal Officer, Ikeja Electric, Nigeria
• Peter Chamfya, Chief Technical Officer, Zesco, Zambia
• Elijah Sichone, Director General, Energy Regulation Board (ERB), Zambia
• Dr Silas Mulaudzi, Energy Specialist, South African Local Government Association (SALGA), South Africa

The discussion underscored the importance of cross-border learning and collaboration, particularly as African countries navigate different regulatory environments and grid capabilities.

Driving the Energy Transition Forward

The emergence of prosumers presents both opportunities and complexities. While decentralisation can improve energy resilience, reduce carbon emissions, and empower consumers, it also requires careful planning to maintain grid stability and ensure fair market participation.

Events like Enlit Africa play a critical role in fostering the dialogue needed to address these challenges. By bringing together stakeholders from across the value chain, the conference helps accelerate the development of practical, scalable solutions for a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

For Solareff, participation in these conversations reinforces its commitment to supporting a more sustainable, decentralised, and future-ready energy system.

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Solareff proudly exhibited at Solar & Storage Live Africa 2026, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 25 – 27 March. Over three energised days, our team connected with industry leaders, clients, partners, and hundreds of visitors who share the same passion for a more resilient and sustainable energy future for South Africa.

From live demonstrations to dynamic conversations and some friendly table tennis rivalry, the Solareff stand truly became one of the most vibrant hubs of the entire expo.

A highlight of the expo was our live Energy Management Software (EMS) demonstrations, hosted daily at 10:00 and 14:00 by our engineering team.

Visitors experienced how Solareff’s bespoke EMS:

• intelligently matches loads to the optimal energy source
• delivers real-time decision-making
• reduces operational costs
• ensures seamless energy continuity
• empowers smarter, data-driven energy management across diverse sectors

These sessions reinforced a crucial message: renewable energy is no longer a reactive solution; it is a strategic, financially compelling investment.

Solareff CEO, Jaco Botha, shared insights with media representatives into South Africa’s evolving energy landscape and the strategic direction of renewable energy in the country.

Jaco emphasised how the sector has shifted beyond emergency response into a phase defined by long‑term financial logic, stability, and national impact. He reiterated Solareff’s commitment to delivering engineered solar and battery storage solutions that empower clients with cost savings, resilience, and energy independence.

This aligns powerfully with our belief that renewable energy is no longer an alternative; it is becoming the foundation of a more secure, affordable, and sustainable energy future for South Africa.
We are proud to play a leading role in driving this transition through Future Focused Energy.

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During the investment period, Solareff made meaningful progress in strengthening its operational platform and executing key strategic initiatives, including the successful exit from GridCars. The partnership supported Solareff’s growth and helped position the business for its next stage of development.

Commenting on the transaction, Jaco Botha said: “STANLIB has been a constructive and supportive investor during an important period of Solareff’s growth. The business has built a strong platform over this time, and we are focused on leveraging that foundation to pursue the next exciting phase of our strategy and long-term growth objectives.”

De Villiers Botha added: “We appreciate STANLIB’s contribution to the business over the course of the investment. We are proud of what the team has achieved to date, and we are energised by the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue growing Solareff.”

Greg Babaya, Head of Investments at STANLIB Infrastructure, commented: “Solareff has developed a strong and credible renewable-energy platform over the course of our investment. We are proud to have supported the business during this phase of its growth, and we believe Solareff is well positioned to continue executing its strategy and pursuing future growth opportunities.”

Looking ahead, Solareff will continue to strengthen its market position, deepen client relationships, and pursue opportunities aligned with its long-term strategic objectives in the renewable energy sector.

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Solareff’s journey is one defined by vision, determination, and a relentless commitment to reshaping South Africa’s energy landscape. A recent MyBroadband feature shines a spotlight on the remarkable rise of Solareff’s CEO, Jaco Botha, and CCO, DeVilliers Botha, whose shared passion for renewable energy has helped build Solareff into one of the country’s largest rooftop solar companies.

What started as an ambitious idea in 2010 quickly evolved into a pioneering renewable energy business. With Jaco’s engineering background and DeVilliers’ strategic and legal expertise, the brothers combined their skills to position Solareff at the forefront of South Africa’s solar revolution. Their complementary talents – technical innovation paired with sharp commercial insight – set the foundation for Solareff’s continued growth and industry leadership.

What truly sets Jaco and DeVilliers apart is their belief that renewable energy should create tangible, lasting change, not only for businesses but for communities across South Africa. Their work exemplifies what can be achieved when leadership, ingenuity, and purpose come together.

The MyBroadband feature highlights this journey in depth, offering an inspiring look at how two brothers turned a bold vision into one of the country’s most respected renewable energy brands – read the full story here:  https://bit.ly/49IHQvF

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Developed in partnership with Mossel Bay Municipality and Element Consulting Engineers, this ground-breaking project demonstrates what’s possible when municipalities, engineers, and renewable energy experts unite to build a cleaner, more resilient future.

The feature showcases how the microgrid is helping to power progress in the Western Cape, providing reliable, sustainable energy to critical infrastructure while reducing environmental impact.

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“The achievement reflects Mossel Bay’s forward-thinking approach to infrastructure and its dedication to building a greener, smarter future. As a Municipal Manager, I am proud to say that we are one step closer in making our city and our town sustainable,” said Colin Puren, Mossel Bay Municipality Municipal Manager.

Developed in partnership with Solareff and Element Consulting Engineers, this award-winning project is a hybrid grid-tied microgrid designed to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to the wastewater treatment facility, even during Stage 6 loadshedding. Under normal conditions, it operates in parallel with the Eskom grid. In the event of grid interruptions, the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) takes over, supported by solar generation during daylight hours. Standby diesel generators provide additional backup if needed. Excess solar energy is fed into the municipal grid, reducing long-term energy costs and boosting sustainability for the Mossel Bay area. This solution was designed with future expansion in mind and can be scaled up to 5MVA as demand grows.

“Excess energy from the PV system will obviously be distributed back into the immediate vicinity or the immediate grid that will cater for the other businesses in the area. I’m very excited about this plant. It is the beginning of many good things to happen,” said Dick Naidoo, Mossel Bay Municipality, Director: Infrastructure Services.

“The whole project was basically initiated back in 2020 when the Mossel Bay Municipality appointed Element Consulting Engineers to look at master planning for them, and one of the main aspects that they wanted us to cover as well was also include some renewables, because Mossel Bay, you know, as part of the Western Cape government and so on are very proactive in their approach towards renewables,” said Mr Jako Fourie, Element Consulting Engineers, Project Manager and Owner’s Engineer.

Solareff held the ground-breaking ceremony for the project on 27 November 2024, and reached practical completion for the project in under a year, by 30 September 2025.

The official launch event, held on-site in Hartenbos, featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, keynote speeches, and a site tour. Speakers included:

• Mossel Bay Executive Mayor, Alderman Dirk Kotzé;
• Element Consulting Engineers, Owner’s Engineer Mr Hannes Lourens;
• Element Consulting Engineers, Project Manager and Owner’s Engineer, Mr Jako Fourie;
• Mossel Bay Municipality Portfolio Chair – Infrastructure Services, Alderman Anton Dellemijn; and
• Solareff Co-founder & Chief Commercial Officer, Mr DeVilliers Botha.

By investing in clean energy, the Mossel Bay Municipality is safeguarding the environment, reducing reliance on Eskom, and setting a new standard for municipal innovation.

“We all know the history of Eskom and energy prices in South Africa so Mossel Bay Council decided to start investing towards energy sustainability. It is also about delivering services whenever Eskom can’t deliver and we obviously distribute so we are also a taker from Eskom. This will take us off the grid, our bulk infrastructure will be able to cope with extended periods of load shedding and then the main thing is the fact that this solar investment will also enable us to buy energy cheaper and so this is one of those initiatives towards that.” said Mossel Bay Municipality Executive Mayor, Dirk Kotzé.

Project Highlights: A Smart Energy Solution for Critical Infrastructure

• Site Size: 3.5 hectares of municipal land
• Solar Generation Capacity: 2.112MVA from 4,536 PV Panels
• PV Inverter Station Capacity: 3.2MVA
• Battery Energy Storage System (BESS): 4,586kWh
• BESS Inverter Station Capacity: 2.75MVA
• Generator Farm Capacity: 1.6MVA
• New Substation: Includes 11kV switchgear and advanced control systems that switch seamlessly between solar, battery, and diesel backup.

“What these types of projects further provide is grid resilience. You would have often heard that we need to expand the transmission grid in the country to provide power across the country. However, if we install more of these types of microgrid systems distributed around the country, we bring grid resilience and also grid stability to the local grids.” said DeVilliers Botha, Chief Commercial Officer at Solareff.

Watch the Project highlights video here: https://youtu.be/EJ90Zl22WNo

Award Recognition

The Hartenbos Solar PV Plant and Microgrid project was recently awarded “Top Performing Project” at the AMEU Awards 2025, showcasing municipal energy innovation, and setting a benchmark for sustainable infrastructure in South Africa. The AMEU Awards are a collection of accolades from the Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities (AMEU), a South African body for municipal electricity utilities and their affiliate members, recognising excellence in the electricity sector. The Hartenbos Solar PV Plant and Microgrid project was honoured for its contribution to energy resilience, environmental sustainability, and technical excellence in municipal services.

Empowering the Next Generation

As part of the launch event, learners from 2 local schools – Sao Bras High School and Lighthouse College – joined for an educational walk-through of the solar installation. Learners explored how solar energy works, the role of microgrids, and how this project supports environmental sustainability.

“At Solareff, we believe in inspiring and equipping young minds to actively shape South Africa’s energy future – because they are the future of energy,” said DeVilliers Botha, Chief Commercial Officer at Solareff.

A Vision for the Future

The Hartenbos Waste Water Treatment Works Solar PV Plant and Microgrid sets a new benchmark for municipal energy innovation. It demonstrates how clean energy can be reliably integrated into essential infrastructure, reducing carbon emissions and operational costs while enhancing service delivery. Through this solution, we are proud to be setting a precedent for Municipal energy resilience and environmental responsibility in South Africa.

Project Partners

Mossel Bay Municipality (Client)

Element Consulting Engineers (Electrical Consultant)

Solareff (EPC Contractor)

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As part of its strategic transition, Solareff will be stepping back from its majority ownership and operational role in GridCars. This marks a significant milestone for both companies, ushering in a new chapter of growth and advancement in South Africa’s energy and mobility sector.

This strategic divestment forms part of Solareff’s broader commitment to leading innovation in the energy sector. Solareff will continue to leverage its proven ability to deliver competitively priced Distributed Generation solutions through Microgrids and Battery Energy Storage Systems (“BESS”). As Solareff advances its Energy as a Service (“EAAS”) model and prepares for shifts in the energy market, it is well positioned to apply its core engineering, procurement, construction (“EPC”) expertise, alongside capex-free solution to meet the evolving market demand.

Since 2017, Solareff has guided GridCars from its infancy, pioneering the first off-grid chargers and the first EV charging highway in South Africa. This enabled EV charging on highways nationwide, driving EV use on most main routes and in cities, whilst building the brand as the go-to for benchmarking EV charging in South Africa.

Jaco Botha, CEO, commented:
“Our decision to exit GridCars aligns with our strategic vision of delivering Future Focused Energy. GridCars is at the right stage to be escalated as a business and be refuelled for its next chapter. We are confident that the new partner will continue to build on the solid foundation established by GridCars and accelerate the deployment of EV infrastructure across South Africa.”

Solareff is excited about the opportunities in the South African energy landscape and will continue to deliver high-impact renewable energy solutions through its comprehensive offering.

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