Rooftop, ground-mounted or carport

The structure is an engineering decision, not a product choice. We size every viable option for your site and recommend the one with the lowest cost per kWh over 25 years.

Pitched metal roof with flush-mounted solar panels

Rooftop

On pitched metal roofs we mount modules flush with the slope, with clamps that do not penetrate the sheeting. On flat roofs we use ballasted east–west racks that need no anchors. Either way, we first check that the roof has 25 years left in it. If it does not, we say so before you spend anything.

Capacity	100 kWp – 3 MWp
Area	≈ 6.5 m² per kWp
Roof types	Metal, sandwich panel, bitumen or PVC membrane
Build time	3–10 weeks, production keeps running
Turnkey cost	≈ $0.70–0.90 per Wp
Recent plants	Dayizenza Mall 1 MW, Jetpark 800 kW, Trust Fiber 370 kW

Estimate a rooftop plant

Ground-mounted

When a site has land and a megawatt-scale daytime load, a ground-mounted array gives the lowest cost per kWh of anything we build. After the soil survey we choose ballast, driven piles or ground screws, and we handle the cabling, the transformer station and the utility interconnection. Trackers are offered where the extra yield beats the extra cost.

Capacity	500 kWp – 5 MWp
Land	≈ 1.2 ha per MWp
Foundations	Driven piles, ground screws or concrete ballast
Build time	10–20 weeks
Turnkey cost	≈ $0.75–1.00 per Wp, with MV connection
Recent plants	Unity Foods 2 MW, hotel complex 800 kW

Estimate a ground-mounted plant

Solar canopies over a corporate car park

Solar carports

A carport costs more per watt than a roof, because you also buy a steel structure. It wins when the roof is full, weak or leased, when parked cars need shade, or when an EV fleet needs charging where it parks. One standard bay carries about 1.8 kWp, so a 600-bay car park is a megawatt.

Capacity	100 kWp – 4 MWp
Area	≈ 7 m² per kWp
Structure	Hot-dip galvanised steel, cantilever or T-frame
Build time	8–16 weeks, built in phases
Turnkey cost	≈ $1.10–1.45 per Wp, chargers extra
Recent plants	Beach resort, Durban: carport, roof and 147 kWh battery

Estimate a carport

Add-ons

We quote each add-on as a separate line with its own payback. If it does not pay for itself on your site, the proposal says so.

Battery storage

Our own Li-ion containers from 100 kWh to 5 MWh, for peak shaving, self-consumption and backup. Sized from your 15-minute load data.

EV charging

AC and DC chargers built into carports or placed at loading docks, with load management so the site connection does not need an upgrade.

PowerHub

Plug-and-play solar plus storage for remote and off-grid sites, from 20 kW: mining camps, construction, oil and gas.

Monitoring and O&M

Online monitoring on every plant, fault response, cleaning, thermography and preventive maintenance.

Buy, lease or pay per kWh

The proposal shows all three side by side, so you can compare cash flow and savings before you choose.

Purchase

You own the plant from day one and pay in milestones. Highest savings over 25 years.

Lease

A fixed monthly fee and nothing upfront. The plant is yours at the end of the term.

PPA

No upfront cost. You pay a fixed price per kWh, below your grid tariff, and we carry the performance risk.

Not sure which one fits?

Send a site address and a utility bill. We come back with the option that pays best, and the ones that do not, with reasons.

Get a proposal Estimate cost