The rocketing costs of electricity, load shedding, a collapsing Eskom and municipalities wreak havoc with your safety, security, and productivity at home and at work. But before you rush into purchasing a solar back-up power solution, you need to take a considered and long-term view of how to get yourself as close to grid independence as possible, for the long term, from the outset. Any money spent on an unsuitable back-up solution today detracts from your ultimate objective of greater grid-independence and self-sufficiency. Don’t be lured into the many cheap solutions being punted on the market by drop-and-go shippers and be especially wary of the many unqualified fly-by-nights who have popped up in a bid to cash-in on the solar boom. The installation and management of solar PV systems is a complex and highly skilled undertaking sitting on top of your most expensive asset – your home or business, so you don’t want to get it wrong.