MARKET INTELLIGENCE REPORT 2025

The Market Intelligence Report 2025 provides a strategic analysis of South Africa’s evolving energy services market. This guide is designed for local and foreign investors, developers, and financiers looking to navigate the commercial, industrial, and agricultural (CI&A) sectors. It highlights how businesses are increasingly turning to embedded generation and energy storage to address rising electricity costs, achieve carbon reduction goals, and improve energy security amid national infrastructure challenges.

The report focuses on two primary investment opportunities in the short-to-medium term:

• Embedded Solar PV: As the market matures, the focus is shifting beyond simple loadshedding mitigation toward long-term price stability and decarbonisation. With 71 municipalities now permitting embedded generation connections, diverse financing models—including power purchase agreements (PPAs), debt finance, and lease structures—are driving significant growth, with a projected 3.8 GW expansion by 2030.
• Behind-the-meter (BTM) Li-ion Storage: Driven by the need for reliable energy security and value-stacking applications like peak shaving, load shifting, and tariff arbitrage, Li-ion battery systems have become the preferred backup technology. Despite challenges such as high reliance on imported components and an emerging regulatory environment, BTM storage remains a critical component for businesses aiming to optimise their energy management and maintain operational continuity.