Solar & Storage 2025: The Shape of Things to Come
From backup systems to business models, the solar industry is evolving—and so must its players
2025 is shaping up to be the year where strategy—not hardware—defines success in solar, from BESS and AI to finance, O&M, and EV infrastructure.
In April we held a live webinar exclusively for our GREEN Alumni, bringing together three of our leading technology partners for an in-depth panel discussion on what’s really happening in the solar industry right now.
Nigel Engelbrecht, Sales Director at Get Off Grid, Shawn Classen, Head of South Africa & Africa at K2 Systems, and Fredrik Hagelberg, Managing Director of IBC Solar South Africa joined us to unpack the key shifts reshaping the Southern African solar market—from storage and AI to financing, regulation, and the rise of EV infrastructure.
Grounded and provocative conversation
This wasn’t a product pitch. It was a grounded and often provocative conversation about what installers, EPCs, and consultants need to know to stay relevant in a rapidly changing landscape.
For anyone walking the halls of the 2025 Solar & Storage Expo in Johannesburg, the feeling was clear: we’re no longer in the era of solar as backup. The industry has matured, and the questions have shifted. It’s no longer just about what the technology can do, but about how it’s financed, integrated, and managed over time.
The booths were filled with the usual suspects—solar modules, lithium batteries, inverters—but the real innovation wasn’t hardware. It was strategy.
L to R: Nigel Engelbrecht (Get Off Grid), Shawn Classen K2 Systems, Fredrik Hagelberg(IBC Solar South Africa) and Vivian Blümel (GREEN Solar Academy).
2025: The Year of BESS
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) were everywhere, and not just in variety—they were central to nearly every solution on offer. Storage is no longer an add-on; it’s becoming the core of system design.
This shift reflects how users are approaching solar: less as a response to load-shedding and more as a long-term investment. With grid pressures easing slightly and tariffs continuing to rise, the value proposition has flipped from emergency power to energy cost savings. The storage arms race is now about longevity, control, and performance under funding models—whether for households, small businesses, or commercial operations.
But while high-voltage battery safety is receiving attention, concerns remain around low-voltage systems—particularly as price sensitivity pushes safety features off the bill of materials. Insurance companies, it seems, may become the new regulators.
“It’s not about machines learning the weather. It’s about tariff management and arbitrage.”
From AI to Algorithms: Smarter Systems, Not Smarter Marketing
Artificial intelligence featured prominently in product demos—but often in name more than substance. Much of what’s branded as AI today is, in reality, sophisticated algorithm-based control logic, especially in energy management systems.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. These systems are already improving load shifting and tariff-based optimisation. And as open energy markets mature—especially with developments in virtual wheeling and energy trading—truly intelligent automation will become not only useful but essential.
The next frontier for AI will likely be behind the scenes: dynamic tariff modelling, real-time trading signals, and predictive maintenance for long-term asset management.
“Know how to make a financial sale. Product doesn’t matter anymore.”
Solar Is a Financial Sale Now
For both residential and commercial markets, the deciding factor is no longer technology—it’s money. Payback periods, cashflow models, and tariff structures now outweigh kilowatt hours when clients make decisions. Installers who can’t speak the language of ROI and leasing are quickly being left behind.
Residential sales especially have entered a new phase. The era of emotional load-shedding sales is over. Today’s residential client wants proof of savings, and increasingly, access to rent-to-own or financed systems through platforms like Versofy, GoSolr or Wetility.
To keep up, installers need more than product knowledge—they need to understand how funding structures work and how to communicate value in financial terms. That’s where training like GREEN Solar Academy’s one-day course on Financing of PV Systems becomes essential. It unpacks everything from tariffs and tax benefits to modelling payback periods and comparing funding options—giving installers the tools to close the deal.
EVs: The Next Gold Rush?
If batteries were the backbone of the expo, electric vehicles were the emerging frontier. EV chargers dotted nearly every stand, and the growing demand—sparked in part by bold moves from brands like BYD—points to a shift in how energy flows in and out of our buildings.
While large-scale charging infrastructure still has a way to go in South Africa, the market is clearly beginning to stir. Whether it takes off through home-based charging, office parks, or commercial fleets is still unclear—but most agree the tipping point is coming.
For solar professionals, that means understanding grid impacts, charging load management, and—once again—how financing will shape deployment.
“You can’t be everything to everyone. Pick your battles.”
A Changing Industry Needs a Clearer Focus
For all its glittering tech and gadgets, the show also revealed a sobering reality: too many products, too little differentiation. Many inverters are white-labeled versions of the same units. Mounting structures look almost identical. Even batteries, once the stars of the show, now blend into a sea of spec sheets.
So where do installers go from here?
The advice is consistent: specialise. Pick your sector. Know your product. Understand your financing partner. Focus on service. The market is splintering, not shrinking—and those who try to be everything to everyone are being left behind.
O&M and Asset Management: The Quiet Opportunity
If there was one major gap exposed at the Expo, it was operations and maintenance (O&M). As thousands of systems age out of their warranty periods, the need for professional servicing is growing fast. But few are stepping up to offer it.
From small rooftop systems to financed C&I installations, asset management is a value-added service waiting to be claimed. Insurers are starting to ask about it. Funders are beginning to require it. Installers who embrace O&M not only gain recurring revenue—they gain deeper relationships with clients and more data for upselling.
“System maintenance and monitoring is definitely a space that needs to be played in.”
Regulation, Risk and the Road Ahead
Oversized panels, underbuilt structures, and a rise in fire incidents are pushing the industry toward stricter regulation. In Europe and the US, size limits and mounting requirements are already law. In South Africa, those rules are coming—likely driven first by insurers and financiers.
As modules stretch past 700 watts, many with reduced glass and frame thickness, the industry must balance performance promises with long-term safety and reliability. Regulation will play catch-up, but those who build to higher standards now will stand out when the tide turns.
One Last Word: Evolve
The 2025 Expo revealed more than just product updates—it revealed a turning point. From how systems are sold, to how they’re financed, monitored, and maintained, the industry is shifting. And with it, the role of the installer is transforming too.
There is space for those who stay small, serve their niche, and offer deep, dependable value. But there’s no space for complacency.
Installers ready to grow in the commercial and industrial space will need to upskill fast. The Commercial PV Design course from GREEN is designed for exactly that—covering technical design, project planning, and financial modelling for larger installations. And for business owners shaping their long-term strategy, the Solar Business Management course offers a 360-degree view of running a solar company in a changing market—from pricing and customer service to scaling up responsibly.
