Our mission

At Specialized Solar Systems we utilize solar energy as the ‘enabling technology’ to address the specific needs of indigent and disconnected communities.

We aim to bolster policy development to facilitate the rapid expansion of renewable energies in developing and rural economies throughout Africa.

We partner with businesses, academic institutions, governmental, private funders and many other organisations and industry leaders, to expand the availability of renewable energy at every level.

Our goal is to bring about social and economic upliftment using solar energy as a key driver for equality acceleration.

SPECIALIZED SOLAR SYSTEMS

Based in George in the beautiful Garden Route of South Africa, Specialized Solar Systems is a South African company that was established in 2008 from the ever-increasing demand for energy in the African continent.

Dedicated to energy transformation with multiple projects throughout the continent, Specialized Solar Systems offers innovative products and turnkey renewable energy solutions for the agricultural, residential and commercial sectors throughout Africa.

Specialized Solar Systems specialises in application-specific design, accurate energy assessments, installation services, training and strong product support. The implementation of sustainable solar solutions that empower indigent and disconnected communities is the heartbeat of the company’s operations with many successful projects completed.

Specialized Solar Systems is proud of its many achievements and in developing practical and environmentally friendly manageable energy solutions for the many challenges that face Africa from a grass-roots level up.

The company advocates the use of renewable energy as a driver for equality acceleration and socioeconomic transformation and has formed strategic partnerships with academic institutions to verify sustainable practices and training methodologies to try to standardize operations for sustainable large-scale renewable energy roll-out.

Headed by a team of passionate individuals, Specialized Solar Systems is only at the beginning stages of an incredible journey – both humbling and exciting – to bring sustainable, renewable, affordable, off-grid solar energy into the many disconnected homes in Africa: fast-tracking job creation, infrastructure, communication, water pumping, education, entertainment, possibilities, hope and a better standard of living for all.

DIVISIONS
Commercial Solar Division:
It makes sense to work with a reliable and experienced installation partner with an established track record that Specialized Solar Systems confidently offers the commercial sector - the added security and peace of mind that making the switch to a commercial scale solar solution, effortless.

Specialized Solar Systems dedicated commercial solar solutions team will carefully examine your energy profile and work within your financial goals and present the most appropriate commercial solar powered offerings available with ongoing support.

Residential Solar Division:
Backed by many years of residential solar system design and installations throughout Africa and a huge range of innovative and well-tested products, our in-house experts will advise you about all the available solar solutions options to cater for your specific needs by custom designing a solar solution with our proprietary software giving you a complete overview of system design performance, installation costs, time frames, capitalization and/or return on investment information all backed up by a legendary support team.

Utility-Based Solar Energy Supply Division (innovation)
The use of solar energy production as a primary mechanism for energy distribution for large-scale and diverse demographic coverage is the culmination of many years of product development leading to the formation of an integrated solar energy supply solution.

A world first utility-based solar solution is available and provides all the necessary tools in an easy to use, tiered-user, online framework, for sustainable and remotely managed energy supply. The integrated solution now 5 years in operation and using a pay-for-energy-usage business model, is used extensively in off-grid electrification projects where remote and ground operations rely on the real-time data for efficient management of clients, vendor outlets(POS) and remote system switching with a variety of billing options.

Director & Chairman - Lionel Jacobs

Lionel served as an executive director of Bidvest Group Limited from October 2003 to November 2012, where he was also the commercial director of the Bidserv services division. He remains a non-executive director of Bidvest South Africa and many of its subsidiaries. Lionel is an entrepreneur with extensive negotiating and investment skills. He is currently fully engaged in furthering the prospects of his investment company, Bassap Ventures Proprietary Limited and its subsidiaries, where he is executive director. He also serves as an Independent non-executive chairman of Vunani Limited.

Lionel is an entrepreneur with extensive negotiating and investment skills. He is currently fully engaged in furthering the prospects of his investment company, Bassap Ventures Proprietary Limited and its subsidiaries, where he is executive director. He also serves as an Independent non-executive chairman of Vunani Limited.

Director & CEO - Jonathan Hodgson

Jonathan has spent the past 10 years advocating an industry-wide shift to the use of solar energy. A calculated risk-taker with deep tech savvy, he has championed large-scale solar energy implementation and has positioned Specialized Solar Systems at the forefront of the fastest moving technology industry trend: solar system efficiencies, cost-effective solar system design and large-scale solar systems sustainable implementation methodologies.

Embracing core values of integrity, innovation, and growth, Jonathan, also a director of the Specialized Solar Systems has consistently built a reputation for developing sound business strategies, incubating new business models and using renewable energy as a driver for equality acceleration and socio-economic transformation in Africa.

Director - Leapeetswe Molotsane

Leapeetswe Molotsane has a distinguished business career. He is a director of many companies and former CEO of Telkom. Molotsane has extensive experience in a wide range of industries including IT, energy, manufacturing, food services, logistics, telecommunications and commodities trading. Leapeetswe is a co-founder and director of his own investment company.

Molotsane has extensive experience in a wide range of industries including IT, energy, manufacturing, food services, logistics, telecommunications and commodities trading. Leapeetswe is a co-founder and director of his own investment company.

Director & Human Resources Manager

Estelle started Specializes Solar Systems together with her husband Jonathan, sharing his vision to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate and also to create job opportunities.Her real passion is empowering people.She is a qualified attorney (BA LLB) and whilst in practice specialising in family law. Her involvement in the community entailed land restitution claims and the upliftment of women through various initiatives. She was involved in the property market through various developments and also succeeded as an owner of various businesses. As the mother of four young ladies, she is passionate about investing in the youth and motivating them to reach their full potential.

Managing Director - Peter Bergs

Peter has worked in the corporate environment in senior management for 27 years, firstly in the commercial explosives and then the aviation industry. He has recently spent 2 years working on a project in Ghana and Kenya.

Peter joined Specialized Solar Systems in 2015 and was appointed Managing Director of a dynamic team that seeks to follow the vision of the company and grow the Specialized Solar Systems alternative energy business.

A Brief History

It all began with a humble light bulb – and the concept of using a 1,8W DC design over an AC design to deliver 360 Lumens.

This sparked the idea of developing and bringing a renewable energy to the rest of Africa.
Various Electrical Engineering Companies were invited to thoroughly scrutinise this concept and their findings were unanimous: DC could certainly be the answer to providing electricity to the most remote, outlying areas of the continent. The conundrum was the human element involved: specifically – the sustainable management of these systems.

We set out on a quest to find a solution. For two years our pioneers travelled the globe; redesigning input values, setting up supply lines, securing various IPs, and investing many millions along the way.

Fine Tuning

We are disciples of research and development – and testing, testing, testing. There was much refining and verifying of the various methods, ‘rediscovering’ all aspects of DC principles and technology that AC use had obscured over the years.

Three-Pronged Strategy
From the time the first DC products were developed, the focus has been on these three aspects:
- design & manufacture
- free and extensive training
- constant monitoring of our products performance

This resulted in well-implemented, thoroughly-tested products and gave rise to the birth of a manufacturing plant and a strong support network throughout South Africa which then expanded rapidly into Africa.