Want to get the most out of your solar system? LookSee promises to cut down your bill with its new Savings Guarantee

While most companies will promise you the world and a lot of savings from going solar, you can be disappointed once you make the switch.

The problem, as Executive Head at Standard Bank’s LookSee Marc du Plessis explains to The Citizen, is that these projections are often based on controlled tests in labs that are nothing like what you have in the real world.

As part of its mission to help families save money and guide those looking to invest in solar confidently, LookSee has promised to cut down your electricity bill or give you R2 000 if you don’t.

“Uncertainty around how much a family can save has left many people reluctant to invest in a solar system.

“We will guarantee a household will have a minimum savings, calculated according to their specific system and habits. We are so confident they will reach that savings that if they don’t, we will give them a once-off cashback,” Du Plessis says of LookSee’s new Saving Guarantee.

It is the platform’s latest push to help consumers.

“For a long time, we have said you could save by getting a solar system but we felt we needed to take it to another level: We know you can save and we guarantee it – and put money behind that guarantee…”

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LookSee believes the guarantee is a first for the residential solar industry – and one that excites Du Plessis.

“We have done a lot of research and development to be able to get to a place where we believe we can predict a family’s savings with confidence.”

Click here to get your solar savings guaranteed

How are the savings calculated?

While there are lots of factors out of your control – such as the price of electricity tariffs or inaccurate billing – you can save if you use your solar system effectively.

With every new hybrid solar system installed through LookSee, a personalised minimum savings amount is calculated.

This is done, in part, by looking at how many people live in your home, location, roof orientation, shading, and current electricity usage habits.

It also looks at the appliances in your home and how much you are currently spending.

“Hundreds of hours have gone into research to ensure these calculations are as accurate as possible.

“Our calculators provide realistic savings projections, tailored to the unique characteristics of each home,” Du Plessis says.

“We want our customers to understand what their solar system can deliver.”

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Energy advisors will guide you through the calculations, as well as financing options.

Solar energy: It’s the little things that help you save

LookSee wants to hold your hand throughout your solar journey.

It provides those looking to invest in solar a handy Solar Score tool to predict how much solar power their property can likely generate.

 It also offers Solar Loans to make your solar plans a reality.

Unlike regular home loans and unsecured personal loans these loans are tailor-made for households looking to make an investment in solar power. “Your interest rate is personalised and will never exceed Prime plus 2.5%,” Du Plessis says.

LookSee’s Solar Loan is open to all, including property owners who are not Standard Bank customers and those who haven’t had a home loan before. 

Beyond the installation

Once the installers have left, LookSee offers advice and tools to make your investment worthwhile.

The Savings Guarantee applies for the first six months of installation because these months are critical for understanding and optimising the system’s usage, says Du Plessis.

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During the six months – and beyond – LookSee offers advanced software to automatically adjust battery and inverter settings, based on your household’s energy consumption patterns.

This means your system can operate efficiently without you having any technical expertise.

“The software looks at consumption patterns throughout the day and night and adjusts the settings to ensure families achieve maximum savings on their electricity bills,” Du Plessis says.

Knowledge is power

LookSee also offers practical behavioural and load-scheduling energy tips.

LookSee’s easy-to-understand guide will guide you on how to get the most savings out of your solar system, including the best time to schedule high-energy appliances to make the most of the sun and your battery.

“A battery investment in South Africa is no longer for backup, but for savings. It is a shift in thinking.

“To maximise your investment, you want to discharge those batteries at night. That is when the savings really start spiking. When the sun goes down, you should switch to your batteries and use them.

“You should save a portion for a rainy day, but use the rest when the sun is down.

“If you are running your dishwasher, washing machine and pool pump at night, instead of during the day when the sun is out, you are losing out on savings,” Du Plessis says.

Looking out for you

LookSee will monitor your system remotely to make sure it is working optimally.

You are always in the loop and will be given a three-month detailed review to ensure you are on track with your savings.

“We install and then work with our customers to ensure they get the most out of their solar system for years to come,” Du Plessis says.

LookSee’s Savings Guarantee is available on all new hybrid solar installations. Visit the LookSee Website to get your solar journey started or WhatsApp the Solar Customer Care Team on 073 243 0182.

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