Guides · Inverters and solar
Sea Point, Fresnaye and Bantry Bay run along the foot of Signal Hill and Lion's Head, and we do inverter, battery and solar panel work in all three. According to Wikipedia, Sea Point lies between Signal Hill and the Atlantic a few kilometres west of the city centre, and borders Bantry Bay to the south-west. Fresnaye sits on the slopes of Lion's Head between Sea Point and Bantry Bay. For homes and apartments here, an inverter and battery is mostly about keeping lights, fridge, Wi-Fi, gate and alarm running when the power goes off. Because the equipment is wired into the distribution board, it is electrical work and has to follow the City's rules.
What the City asks for
The City of Cape Town says that, since 1 October 2023, all new solar PV and battery applications are treated as grid-tied. In its words, all systems must use City-approved inverter, have professional sign-off and be authorised before switching on. You apply for authorisation online through the City's Energy Services platform on e-Services. The City also says all solar PV systems installed within its electricity supply area must be authorised, and that an unregistered system can lead to a contravention notice and, in the end, disconnection of the electricity supply.
- Approved inverters only. The City links an approved inverter list from its going-solar page. Check the model against it before you buy.
- Professional sign-off. The City requires it. Its page does not say who may sign, so ask your installer what they will hand over.
- Authorised before it is switched on. The system may not simply be switched on once it is wired in.
Standby-only systems are no longer accepted
The City states that it will no longer accept applications for standby and off-grid systems. Systems that were already authorised remain valid. If you are quoted for a battery backup that is meant to stay outside the City's process, ask why. A new system should expect to go through the grid-tied route. The City does say that portable UPS trolley inverters that plug into the wall socket do not need authorisation, but that is a different thing from a fixed inverter wired into your board.
Sea Point, Fresnaye and Bantry Bay: what to think about on site
- Apartments are common. Wikipedia says apartment buildings are more common in central Sea Point and toward the beachfront, and describes the suburb as high-density. If you live in a sectional title scheme, a solar installation on common property such as the roof is a body corporate matter, not only yours.
- Houses on the mountain slope. Wikipedia describes Fresnaye as set on the slopes of Lion's Head and as one of Cape Town's most affluent suburbs. In our view, a sloping site makes the cable run from roof to inverter and the position of the battery worth walking through on the visit, not guessing from a photo.
- Sea air. These suburbs face the Atlantic, so ask where the inverter and battery will sit and how they will be enclosed. Our servicing guide covers what we check on an installed system.
- What must keep running. Tell us whether it is the fridge, lights and Wi-Fi only, or also a gate motor, alarm, lift or pump. That decides which circuits the inverter carries.
If you live in a sectional title scheme
Law firm Clyde & Co, writing about sectional title schemes in November 2023, says the Sectional Title Schemes Management Act and its conduct rules apply. It says an owner who wants solar on common property such as a roof needs exclusive use rights, which are allocated by a special resolution requiring a 75% vote in favour, and that material changes to an exclusive use area need the written consent of the trustees. The same article says inverters are often chosen over panels because of complicated approval procedures, but it does not say whether a body corporate must approve an inverter inside your own unit. Ask your managing agent and read your scheme's rules before you order anything, and get any approval in writing.
Selling an apartment or house with an inverter
If you are selling, keep the paperwork together: the City's authorisation for the system, your installer's documents and the electrical certificate. The City says an unregistered system must be disconnected, registered and authorised, so a buyer's attorney may ask for proof. Our guide to the electrical certificate in Constantia, Tokai and Bergvliet explains what is checked at transfer, and the same approach applies here. If you cannot find the documents, ask your installer first.
Our guide to inverters and batteries in Camps Bay and Clifton covers the next suburbs along the coast, and our guide to what an inverter and battery cost explains what drives the price.
Where we work
We work in Sea Point, Fresnaye, Bantry Bay, Camps Bay, Clifton, Hout Bay, Constantia and across the Southern Suburbs and South Peninsula. Certificates of compliance for property transfers are available anywhere in the Cape Town municipal area. For anything that isn't an emergency, WhatsApp us on 074 490 3100 or email enquiries@lightningfast.co.za. Office hours are Monday to Friday 07:30 to 17:30 and Saturday 08:00 to 13:00. We do not have a long list of completed inverter installations to point to, so we would rather say that plainly and show you the written quote and scope first.
Common questions
Do I have to get City of Cape Town authorisation for an inverter and battery?
The City says all new solar PV and battery applications are treated as grid-tied and must use a City-approved inverter, have professional sign-off and be authorised before switching on.
Can I put solar or an inverter in my Sea Point apartment?
Possibly. Clyde & Co says solar on common property needs exclusive use rights and the trustees' written consent. Ask your managing agent about equipment inside your unit and read your scheme's rules first.
Do you do inverter, battery and solar work in Sea Point, Fresnaye and Bantry Bay?
Yes, we do inverter and battery work, and we also install solar panels. We give you a written quote and scope before starting.