2021 PV highlights from SegenSolar
As another year draws to a close, the SegenSolar team feels incredibly grateful for our loyal installer customers and wholesale partners. Thanks to their support, we have been able to grow the SegenSolar product portfolio enormously, continuously adding new equipment to our lines so that we can offer more products than ever before to customers all over Southern Africa.
2021 was a year of growth for SegenSolar. We launched our new Kit Builder software at the start of the year, opened two new warehouses, and were part of Labora’s acquisition of the Segen Group in October.
We also could not have achieved so much without the support of our manufacturer partners that we work closely with on a regular basis.
SegenSolar
A new way to buy
The start of the year saw the introduction of our Kit Builder tool on the portal. Designed by experts, this free software was created to enable our installer customers to purchase complete PV systems in just a few clicks. Customers can browse the pre-defined ‘Kits’ that include all the products needed for a full installation, with products matched for their compatibility. And although installers can edit their chosen Kit to comprise the exact items they need, the Kits cannot be amended outside the set compatibility parameters. So, installers never need to worry about mismatching products or choosing incompatible items.
Currently, the Kits available include Off-Grid, Grid Back-Up, Self-Consumption and PV System (grid-tied).
Installers benefit from a 3% net saving across their entire system order when they purchase through Kit Builder. We are also offering a 14-day price fix on all systems designed in Kit Builder — perfect for avoiding volatile exchange rates and fluctuating prices.
Growing our footprint across South Africa
Despite 2021 being another turbulent year, SegenSolar has worked hard to expand our footprint to offer our PV solutions to more installers than ever in South Africa.
In April, we opened a warehouse in Kempton Park to service our East Rand customers, giving them easier access to stock and improved local support. Due to the success of this launch, we opened another new facility in Durban to service our customers based in KwaZulu Natal. These brand-new sites were set up for both deliveries and collections, localised for our customers’ convenience. Orders are quicker and more straightforward, and we can provide better stock availability on the customer portals dedicated to the new warehouses. What’s more, the new facilities simplify order processing and collections to save time and money.
In thrilling news, we would like to announce the opening of yet another new warehouse in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) that will be a local facility for our Eastern Cape customers. The official launch will be in January 2022, so keep your eyes peeled!
SegenSolar becomes a subsidiary
In October, the Segen Group Ltd was acquired by Labora Holdings Ltd. The whole of the Segen Group is due to benefit substantially from the new scale and scope offered by Labora, presenting various opportunities for our solar manufacturer partners and, of course, our loyal customers.
Although we will continue to operate in the same way that our customers know and love, we are now able to access and take advantage of an entirely new set of resources.
Solis
New case studies
February this year saw the launch of Solis’ commercial case studies. We worked closely with Solis and SolarAfrica to procure three large-scale projects in South Africa using Solis’ inverters, generating huge savings and transforming the sites’ electricity usage.
New awards
The quality of Solis’ PV inverters is no secret. Over the past year, Solis has continued to progress from strength to strength against all odds. A global shortage of microchips and the lingering pressure and impact of COVID-19 did not stand in Solis’ way in 2021.
In fact, the Chinese manufacturer brings home several prestigious awards for its continued service and innovation within the renewable energy industry.
For example, Solis received the ‘All Quality Matters’ Award from TÜV Rheinland and was named the Top PV Brand in South Africa (as well as in Pakistan, The Netherlands and India) by EuPD Research.
In June, during the SNEC, the company received APVIA Honourable Award – Technical Achievement (for Enterprise) at the fifth annual Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association (APVIA) Awards. Solis also won the PV Brand Lab ‘2020 Global Top PV Brand’ Award and ranked fifth in inverter brand value. Moreover, Solis was awarded a place in the National PV Quality Inspection Centre.
In November, Solis won ‘Company of the Year’ for inverters and ‘Company of the Year’ for energy storage systems at the Solar Future Awards 2021.
These awards validate Solis’ consistent efforts towards the solar industry, helping to promote a more sustainable future.
New services
Solis launched its all-new monitoring platform in July 2021. The SolisCloud system is an upgrade from Solis’ previous monitoring software that is accessible via the web or a mobile app, giving installers improved access to their Solis inverter data for enhanced understanding and visibility. The tool is more intuitive and offers users access to comprehensive monitoring functionalities, including IV curve scanning, and a complete energy balance display. What’s more, SolisCloud is completely free to use.
New solutions
2021 was a big year for the Solis product portfolio. In January, we launched Solis’ three-phase commercial offering on the SegenSolar portal, comprising several industrial-scale inverters with both grid-tied and energy storage capabilities. The most notable arrival was the 110kW inverter that offers both Type I and II surge protection to safeguard installations from lightning strikes in South Africa.
Solis’ three-phase hybrid 10kW inverter has also been a popular addition to the portal. This high-voltage energy storage inverter offers outstanding efficiencies, intelligent energy management and three operating modes for ultimate versatility.
Most recently, we introduced Solis’ new S5 commercial range. With models available in 50kW and 60kW, these inverters have multiple MPPTs for heightened efficiencies of 98.7% and improved control. The latest products have been recognised globally for their safety, intelligence, economical operation and ultra-efficient design.
As always, we thoroughly enjoyed working with Solis this year and are very much looking forward to what 2022 has to bring.
Pylontech
As one of the world’s most prolific energy storage manufacturers, Pylontech requires little introduction. Its lithium batteries are heralded as some of the safest and most efficient solutions available.
This year, the Powercube H2 joined the SegenSolar commercial storage portfolio. This battery is the ultimate commercial storage solution, offering scalable and flexible configuration options for easy installation, maintenance and expansion. Up to 12 batteries can be configured into a single stack, and you can link up to six stacks in parallel! What’s more, this battery comes with a 10-year warranty as standard.
To keep your Powercube H2 batteries safe, Pylontech also introduced the new PowerTower: a premium storage solution for its high-voltage lithium batteries. Installers can also add a lockable door kit to the PowerTower to ensure the batteries stay secure.
In June, Pylontech also became the first company in China to officially pass TÜV Rheinland’s earthquake protection test for household energy storage systems in Japan, opening the door for Pylontech’s entry into the vast Japanese solar storage market.
Renusol
2021 was another busy year for the team at Renusol, too.
Not only did Renusol receive the ETN certificate for its VarioSole+ system, but for its MetaSole+ PV mounting solution too! The ETN certification is specific to the French market and means that investors, insurers and end-users can have total confidence in these two systems when installed in France. The accreditation process is undertaken by an independent body to assess the systems’ static values, quality of the production process and to provide evidence that thorough testing has occurred with all components (testing against wind loads, snow loads and combined loads).
Every VarioSole+ and MetaSole+ system component has been tested in situ and reviewed for safety and quality, meaning Renusol customers can guarantee the kits are watertight, durable, and reliable when installed.
Renusol also joined forces with inverter manufacturer SMA to combine the two companies’ planning tools. Installers can now access the mechanical and electrical planning data of over 100,000 different PV modules as they configure their PV systems. The interface between the Renusol PV Configurator 3.0 and the SUNNY DESIGN inverter design tool also saves users from entering data multiple times and reduces the amount of work involved in planning.
However, the most significant development to come out of this year for Renusol was its brand-new 20-year warranty offering! This warranty applies to all components used in systems designed using the Renusol PV-Configurator 3.0 and mirrors the company’s 20-year dedication to the solar industry. Although Renusol already has a reputation for the safety, durability and quality of its solar mounting equipment, this extended warranty further reassures customers that Renusol is a trusted mounting provider.
A huge thank you to all our customers and manufacturer partners for making 2021 as successful as it was. If you are interested in working with SegenSolar in 2022, please get in touch as our team would be delighted to hear from you. Or, if you are a solar installer, why not register to the free customer portal to get started on your renewable energy journey?