We switched to solar in 2021 expecting a 3.5-year payback. Electricity prices rose so fast that we recovered the investment in under two years.

Also the national grid is notorious for it's frequent blackouts (load-shedding) since the early ’90s. Solar allowed us to have uninterrupted supply in the mornings and longer backups during night.

▲

testing22321 an hour ago | parent | next [-]

We got roof top solar 1.5 years ago in Canada. Payoff will be 6-7 years, but we got an interest free loan to cover it.

So we’ll just pay what we would have for power for those years ~$1000 a year, then we’ll have free power for 20 more, saving something like $20,000 for $0 investment.

▲

toomuchtodo 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Rough location (if you feel comfortable sharing ground truth)?

▲

phreeza an hour ago | parent | next [-]

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43622584

▲

tibbydudeza 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

South Africa - load shedding is a curse word here :).

▲

toomuchtodo 2 hours ago | parent [-]

Great to hear about the fast payback period, wishing you reliable power :)

▲

kragen an hour ago | parent [-]

tibbydudeza didn't post about a fast payback period. Maybe neebz is his wife?

	▲	toomuchtodo 21 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Broadly speaking, payback period in South Africa is very fast due to similar grid economics to Pakistan.