How Solar Can Replace Bigger Generators – With the Right Data

For many African businesses, the default response to grid outages has been to install bigger and bigger diesel generators. While these provide backup power, they also create significant financial strain: high fuel bills, frequent maintenance, and exposure to rising diesel prices.

But there’s a smarter alternative: solar power.

From Generators to Solar – Building the Case with Data

The key to replacing oversized generators with solar is understanding exactly how much energy is needed – and when. This is where monitoring comes in.

By profiling a generator’s runtime and energy output using systems like enee.io, businesses gain a clear picture of:

• Peak load requirements.

• Average daily energy consumption.

• How much generator capacity is sitting idle.

  
  

With this data, companies can right-size their energy systems and build a case for solar adoption. For example, if a generator is consistently underutilized, monitoring can demonstrate that a combination of a smaller generator plus solar could deliver the same reliability at a fraction of the cost.

The ROI Advantage

enee.io doesn’t just capture the data – it also translates it into actionable insights. Businesses can see exactly how much they would save by adding solar, how quickly the investment would pay back, and even use the data to secure financing.

In one case, enee.io helped a business prove that installing a 30kWp solar system would cut their energy costs by 25% – delivering annual savings of $9,000 and achieving ROI in less than three years. Even more impressive, the enee.io monitoring system paid for itself in under a month. See case study here.

Smarter Energy for the Future

Solar is not just about saving money – it’s about resilience. By combining solar with real-time monitoring, businesses reduce their dependence on diesel, protect themselves from future price hikes, and use their roofspace to its maximum advantage.

The days of defaulting to oversized generators are numbered. With tools like enee.io, businesses can finally size their sites for solar correctly, unlock financing, and step into a future where energy is cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable.