Solar is the single biggest pivot opportunity for South African electricians right now, and a solid sideline for plumbers. Installed solar PV capacity hit 8.97 GW in 2024, up 11.9% in a year, with 6.1 GW in private hands. Even with load-shedding down 82% in the first half of 2025, millions of installed systems now need maintenance, battery replacements and compliance paperwork, and the SSEG registration deadline of 30 September 2026 is driving a wave of work for registered electricians.
Why the work has not dried up
Rooftop solar exploded from 983 MW in March 2022 to 4,412 MW by June 2023, a 349% increase in 15 months, before load-shedding eased. That installed base does not disappear when the lights stay on. It needs servicing, inverter and battery upgrades, fault-finding and, above all, registration. Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) registration has been extended to 30 September 2026, and Eskom is waiving registration, connection and smart-meter fees for systems up to 50 kVA until the same date. After the deadline, unregistered systems face enforcement, and metros are already talking about satellite and AI detection. Compliance work is the new installation work. Industry data above is via SAPVIA, the SA Photovoltaic Industry Association.
The qualification ladder for electricians
The electrical work from the inverter to the distribution board is legally reserved for an electrician registered with the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL). Without that registration you cannot sign the Certificate of Compliance (CoC) that SSEG registration requires. On top of that sits the industry quality mark:
- PV GreenCard. SAPVIA's PV GreenCard programme is the primary quality and safety certification for solar installers. It requires DEL-registered electrician status (trade test plus wireman's licence), a 5-day PV installation course from a SAPVIA-endorsed provider, then a 2-day practical and theory assessment. The City of Cape Town has historically subsidised this training for registered electricians.
- Batteries and heat pumps. Lithium battery storage needs the relevant electrical competency but no additional national licence as of 2026, though SAPVIA recommends GreenCard holders add battery training.
Who signs off depends on who supplies the power
This is the nuance that catches installers. From 1 October 2025, on Eskom-supplied networks, a DEL-registered person (excluding single-phase testers) may sign off residential SSEG systems, and an ECSA engineer is no longer required. But that relaxation applies on Eskom networks only. The City of Cape Town still requires ECSA professional sign-off (a Pr Tech Eng for residential, a Pr Eng for commercial), and other municipalities set their own rules. In short: who signs off your solar depends on who supplies your power. Check the supply authority before you quote, because an engineer's sign-off is a real cost line.
Worked example: the sparky pivot
A registered electrician (DEL wireman, trade-tested) in Johannesburg completes a 5-day SAPVIA-endorsed preparation course (roughly R4,000 to R8,000), then sits the 2-day PV GreenCard assessment at a regional provider. On passing, they are listed on the SAPVIA GreenCard database and can legally install, commission and sign off residential solar PV including the CoC on networks where a DEL registration suffices. They register on the Eskom or municipal SSEG portal and offer full-service residential and small commercial installation. With the 30 September 2026 compliance deadline driving demand, and Eskom's fee waiver for systems up to 50 kVA running to the same date, the demand pull is strong and time-limited.
Worked example: the plumber's angle
A qualified plumber cannot sign off electrical work and so cannot be a solo PV installer. But plumbers are well placed for solar water heating (geysers and heat-pump geysers under SANS 10106) and for the plumbing around battery and inverter rooms (condensate and cooling lines). Many plumbers partner with a registered electrician and sell a complete backup-power package between them.
Common mistakes
- Quoting Cape Town jobs at Eskom-network prices. ECSA sign-off in Cape Town adds cost and lead time. Confirm the supply authority first.
- Selling dead incentives. There is no live residential solar tax rebate in 2026. The honest hooks are the Eskom fee waiver and the registration deadline, both ending 30 September 2026.
- Installing without the DEL registration and leaving the client with a system no one can legally certify.
- Ignoring the maintenance market. Installation headlines fade; the service book on millions of systems does not.
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