ReCharge Rental Solutions (RRS), backed by Investec, has entered the South African market with a “bespoke” solar rental service for businesses, residential complexes, industrial facilities, farms and commercial property owners.

As a platform for accredited installers and engineering, procurement and construction companies (EPCs), RRS “rentalises” and maintains off-grid, grid-tied and battery energy storage systems (BESS). “Our commercial rental solution provides overall energy cost savings without any initial capital outlay, upfront fees and balance sheet encumbrance,” the company said in a statement.

RRS offers two products:

• A five-year rent-to-own option with a balloon payment at the end of the term, giving customers the option to either own the system outright after five years or re-rentalise the value of the balloon payment.
• A five plus five-year rental option with the monthly rental amount reduced by up to 50% over the second five-year term.

RRS will also acquire energy systems installed by businesses looking to unlock capital via sale and lease-back agreements.

“Our rental model is built with flexibility, letting customers adapt their solar capacity as energy needs grow or technology advances. This way, businesses aren’t locked into a static setup but can scale or upgrade as required, maintaining operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness,” says RRS’s Chief Commercial Officer Lisa Spain Fine.

RRS allows customers to increase the size of their system or upgrade at any time during the rental period as their energy requirements continue to evolve, adds Spain Fine.

“This flexibility future-proofs our customers' investments and ensures long-term performance and efficiency. With the unreliable electricity grid and rising tariffs, we aim to provide affordable solutions that align with businesses’ financial goals while reducing operational risks. Businesses can leverage their equity and debt to grow and generate returns instead of funding capex for electricity.”

While RRS manages the monitoring, maintenance and servicing of the system, the rental contract is signed with Investec.