With an unreliable source of electricity in homes and electricity tariffs that keep on rising, many South African are considering solar panels with battery back-up to ensure a steady supply. Consumers are turning to solar power to generate electricity which hedges costs for decades to come, cuts dependence on Eskom and adds value to properties. It used to be an expensive solution, but the cost of solar has come down dramatically; although for many South Africans it is still out of reach. India, which is regarded as one of the countries that has the cheapest solar power in the world is competing with "the cheapest competing fossil fuel – coal – even with subsidies removed and the cost of construction and financing", according to the Wall Street Journal and it's jolting the energy industry in India. It is an example that South Africa could follow as even their version of Eskom, Coal India is planning solar projects. One of the larger solar projects in South Africa that seems to have run into trouble is the Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska solar farm, which highlights the importance of proper research into cost-effective projects around the world that are working before embarking on a large scale rollout of solar power in South Africa. – Linda van Tilburg

Can solar power compete with coal? In India, it's gaining ground

By Phred Dvorak