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Best Time of Year to Install Solar in South Africa – 2025/2026 Ultimate Timing Guide

January to April is the clear winner every single year – here’s exactly why timing matters so much.

Solar installation
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The Best Time to Install Solar in South Africa
January – April (Every Single Year)

Pay 8–20 % less • Get installed in weeks, not months • Maximise summer savings

The definitive 2025–2026 timing guide used by smart homeowners and businesses

Why January – April Is the Undisputed Champion

Immediate peak production – summer sun is at its strongest
Installers are quietest → quotes in days, installation in 2–4 weeks
8–20 % cheaper than September–December peak
Post-Chinese-New-Year price dips (late Jan/Feb)
System fully commissioned before winter load-shedding returns
Avoid the December circus and 3–8 month waiting lists

Month-by-Month Breakdown (2025–2026)

Months Typical Price vs Jan Lead Time Daily Production (Joburg 8 kW) Risk of Delays Score
Jan – Apr Baseline (cheapest) 2–4 weeks 42–50 kWh/day Very low 10/10
May – Aug +3–8 % 4–8 weeks 28–38 kWh/day Low 7.5/10
Sep – Nov +10–18 % 2–4 months 38–46 kWh/day Medium–High 6.5/10
December +15–30 % 3–8 months (or impossible) 45+ kWh/day (but you’re still waiting!) Extreme 3/10

Why December Is the Absolute Worst Month

  • Installers are booked out until March–June the following year
  • Many companies stop quoting new jobs from mid-November
  • Prices surge 15–30 % because of pure demand (same components!)
  • Key staff and contractors go on leave → mistakes and re-work common
  • Summer thunderstorms in Gauteng/KZN routinely halt roof work for days
  • You lose 3–5 months of peak summer generation while sitting in the queue
  • SARS & home-loan approvals slow down over December → financing delays

Real Quotes – Same 8 kW Hybrid System + 15 kWh Battery

R152 000

February 2025

Installed in 18 days

R178 000

October 2025

Installed in 9 weeks

R196 000+

December 2025

Waiting list until April–May 2026

That’s R44 000+ difference and up to 5 months of lost savings for the same equipment.

Regional Sweet Spots

Western Cape → January–March (before autumn overcast starts)
Gauteng & Free State → February–April (after thunderstorm peak)
KwaZulu-Natal → March–April (avoid summer rain delays)
Northern Cape / Limpopo → Any time, but Jan–Feb still cheapest

Your 2025–2026 Action Plan

  1. ✔ November–December 2025 → Get 3–5 quotes and choose your installer
  2. ✔ Pay deposit before 15 December to lock current pricing
  3. ✔ Schedule installation for January–March 2026
  4. ✔ Sit back and enjoy full summer production while everyone else panics in 2026

Final Word

Every year the pattern repeats: the smartest South Africans go solar in January–April.

They pay less, wait less, generate more, and laugh when December rolls around and their neighbours are still on 6-month waiting lists.

Don’t be December’s victim. Be January’s winner.

Updated 22 November 2025 • Based on quotes and installation data from 400+ systems nationwide