Vivica Group has launched Stage Zero, a power utility provider which is ready to help South African households deal with Eskom and local municipalities unreliable electricity supplies. Stage Zero is not just another provider of solar or battery backup systems attempting to position a new product. Rather, the business sells a value proposition – in the form of utility cost savings or load shedding protection – without the burden of long-term risk currently associated with the industry.
The company says that current solutions are too complex. It’s unrealistic, it says, to expect householders to understand and provide their consumption profiles, never mind the PV technology such as inverter, battery, and solar panel types. Homeowners cannot be expected to oversee the sizing and specification planning of the solution and then have no guarantee of actual utility cost savings.
The company wants to ensure customers are looked after and the installation is aesthetically pleasing. It also wants to give its customers the flexibility to move house or downsize. To this end, Stage Zero will enter into short-term contracts with homeowners who wish to save on their utility bills or reduce their exposure to load shedding. The firm will meet these obligations through harnessing solar power or through its battery backup solutions – which are attractive and are owned and maintained by Stage Zero throughout the contract.
The Stage Zero proposition is a short-term utility contract with no obligation around the equipment once the service is no longer needed.
The system has a dashboard that shows the system’s actual performance. It provides the customer with information regarding monetary and carbon emissions savings; a portal where they can pay their bill, and more.
Stage Zero provides a simple, accessible and easy-to-understand solution that resonates with consumers. It represents the next phase of renewable energy in the consumer sector. Beyond this, an important focus point for Stage Zero will be a website that “walks” the consumer through each step of the power discussion, educating them, and putting the power in their hands, so to speak.
