With the rise of telecommuting and other forms of independent labour, maintaining reliable power in South Africa has become a critical issue. Recent load shedding and prolonged power outages provide significant difficulties for the nation’s constantly expanding rural workforce. But have no fear! Those of you who have been hoping for a private place to work from home that is immune to fluctuations in the power grid can rest easy. Standard Bank’s LookSee home efficiency platform is meant to ease your worries by giving you access to a variety of backup power alternatives developed with South African telecommuters in mind.
How to Maximise Your Time
When the lights go out in South Africa, it doesn’t matter which bank a family uses, LookSee is there to help them make ends meet. In addition to a wide variety of products and services, the system also provides guidance, advice, and insights, and this might include financial arrangements.
“Electricity supply is a concern for all of us,” says LookSee CEO Marc du Plessis. But there are also difficulties that people who work from home face, such as lower productivity and less security in their careers. This highlights the critical nature of settling on a solid backup system. The different options for backup power that LookSee offers are summarised below.
Lighting Your Home With Solar Energy is a Green Choice
Solar power has recently surpassed other backup power sources as the most eco-friendly option. It not only guarantees that you will never be without power, but it could also help you save a lot of money on your monthly electricity bill. The government’s commitment to increasing the use of solar energy is demonstrated by the extension of a tax credit for residential solar installations past the year 2024. The possibility of households selling their extra electricity production to the utility company is also being discussed.
When it comes to power reliability, a hybrid solar system offers the best protection for remote employees because it can store excess solar power in batteries for use when it is needed.
Fixed Backup With Uninterrupted Power Supply
A permanent backup system can provide electricity to most of your home during blackouts thanks to its inverter and batteries. Power transfers are seamless if there is a disruption in the supply because these systems are connected directly to the electrical board of the home. These systems are powered by the grid initially, but solar panel upgrades make it possible to switch to solar energy entirely.
Portable Backup Systems Offer Portability and Affordability
Concerned workers who invest in a portable backup device will find a surprising amount of freedom. Small and medium-sized electronics, such as lights, Wi-Fi, computers, cellphones, and even televisions and decoders, can all be powered by these inexpensive alternatives. These devices can be charged in a car or with a regular wall charger even when the power is out.
The Electricity Generators Are Not the Best Answer
Generators have a low up-front cost, but they have high operating costs and are bad for the environment, making them unsuitable for use in home-based enterprises. The step-by-step instructions on ‘How to size your backup power supply’ supplied by LookSee can be extremely helpful in optimising the return you obtain from your investment after you have decided on the power backup option you like.
Finding a Way to Pay for Your Electrical System
The first step in preparing for an outage is deciding which backup power source is best for your situation. Finance is an independent issue that is dealt with by LookSee. In addition to a wide choice of customizable financing options for solar and fixed backup systems, du Plessis notes that “with an emphasis on cost-effectiveness, LookSee offers personal loans for our portable backup solutions.” You can tailor these funding choices to your specific need.
The new electrical minister has warned of an upcoming hard winter. Remote workers have further reason to be alarmed by this data. However, with the help of LookSee’s technologies, your business can safeguard its power supply, maintain employee productivity, and stay open while the storm rages. If you don’t want to stay in the dark when the power goes out, you should have reliable backup alternatives set up at your home office.
About The Author:
Lebohang Mokoena is an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience in business reporting. She specialises in innovation and technology in South Africa and beyond. Lebohang holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and has previously worked for top-tier publications before joining Africa Nova.
