SolarAfrica scoops AFSIA's African Solar Company of the Year award

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Karabo Ledwaba

South African solar energy provider SolarAfrica took home the Africa Solar Industry Association's (AFSIA) African Solar Company of the Year award at a ceremony held in London earlier this month. The win came in recognition of the company being the first to successfully market solar power purchase agreements (PPA) to residential and commercial power users in SA since its inception in 2011.

Accepting the award on behalf of the team, SolarAfrica chief investment officer Charl Alheit described the excitement of witnessing the growth of the African solar market over the last decade: “What's really encouraging is that the growth in the solar market has been based predominantly on a financial decision, being that solar is generally cheaper than the alternative. The environmental benefits are merely a bonus. This reality will ensure the sustainability and resilience of this market going forward.

"We’re expecting a very exciting decade ahead and are excited to be part of a more sustainable energy mix going forward,” he said.

To date, SolarAfrica’s impact on the environment has resulted in a reduction of 47,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to thirty million kilograms of coal. With that in mind, SolarAfrica is predicted to save their customers over R500m in lifetime savings across their entire portfolio which relates to more than 1.3 million tonnes of Co2.