Commercial solar decisions should start with the cost of downtime, says Stage Zero

Businesses evaluating solar investments should look beyond electricity savings and also assess the true cost of power interruptions, according to Shaune Bouwer, Commercial Engineering Manager at Stage Zero.

While residential solar projects are often measured by their impact on monthly electricity bills, Bouwer says commercial installations require a broader assessment that accounts for operational disruptions, lost productivity and business risk.

“Electricity savings are important, but for many businesses they’re only one part of the equation,” says Bouwer. “The bigger consideration is often what an outage costs the business. If a loss of power affects productivity, security or key operations, that impact needs to be factored into the investment decision. In some cases, preventing just one outage can pay for the solution’s entire monthly cost.”

According to Stage Zero, commercial solar systems should be designed around the specific operational requirements of each business rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. In many cases, ensuring critical functions remain operational during outages can deliver greater value than achieving the highest possible reduction in grid consumption.

This is particularly true when determining battery storage requirements.

“One of the most common assumptions is that every load should be backed up,” says Bouwer. “The reality is that battery capacity comes at a cost. The key is identifying which parts of the operation are essential and ensuring those systems remain protected when power is unavailable.”

Bouwer points to projects where changing operating conditions altered customer priorities. In one instance, repeated cable theft in a customer’s area led to a redesign focused on maintaining security systems during extended outages, even though it changed the overall savings profile of the installation.

“For that customer, the value of keeping security systems operational outweighed the benefit of maximising monthly savings,” he says. “Those are the trade-offs businesses need to evaluate when designing an energy solution.”

Stage Zero notes that energy requirements differ significantly across sectors and operations. Businesses with predictable energy demand may prioritise cost optimisation, while others may place greater value on resilience and operational certainty. Understanding how electricity supports day-to-day operations is therefore essential to developing an effective solution.

“Commercial energy projects need to be built around business outcomes,” says Bouwer. “Customers want solutions that support their operational and financial objectives. The right balance between savings and resilience will be different for every organisation.”

As South African businesses continue to navigate grid instability and energy security concerns, Bouwer believes the first step in any solar conversation should be understanding the consequences of losing power.

“Before deciding how much solar capacity to install, businesses should understand exactly what an interruption means for their operation,” he says. “When you can quantify the cost of downtime, you’re in a much stronger position to design an energy system that delivers real business value.”