TLDR: Wetility, a prominent South African solar-as-a-service provider, has been honored with the first-ever South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) Solar PV Research and Development (R&D) Award. The recognition is for its groundbreaking ‘AI Mode’ innovation, a real-time energy optimization system developed in partnership with global inverter manufacturer GoodWe. This AI-powered solution dynamically manages solar and battery power, responding to weather, usage, and loadshedding patterns, and is reported to deliver up to 90% energy savings, addressing South Africa’s unique energy challenges.
Johannesburg, South Africa – In a significant stride for climate technology innovation, Wetility, a leading solar-as-a-service provider in South Africa, has been awarded the inaugural South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) Solar PV Research and Development (R&D) Award. The prestigious accolade recognizes Wetility’s ‘AI Mode’ innovation, a real-time energy optimization breakthrough that is now seamlessly integrated across its solar systems.
Developed through a robust and longstanding engineering partnership with global inverter manufacturer GoodWe, AI Mode represents a major leap in autonomous, data-driven power management. This intelligent system dynamically shifts between solar and battery power, adapting to real-time conditions such as weather forecasts, customer usage patterns, and the unpredictable nature of loadshedding. Wetility reports that this advanced capability can deliver up to an impressive 90% in energy savings automatically for its users.
Ikenna Oguguo, Chief Product Officer at Wetility, emphasized the customer-centric design behind the innovation. “We built AI Mode so our customers don’t have to choose between backup power and savings,” Oguguo stated. He further elaborated on the driving force behind its development: “Solving for South Africa’s unique energy realities pushed us to improve the core. The result is a smarter system, not just for Wetility, but for GoodWe’s global footprint too.”
The breakthrough is the culmination of a five-year technical partnership that commenced in 2019 when Wetility, then a burgeoning startup, made the strategic decision to collaborate closely with GoodWe. This partnership was founded on trust, co-development, and a shared vision for scalable, affordable climate solutions, rather than mere transactional engagement. Over this period, engineers from both companies worked collaboratively to redesign inverter firmware, data engineering, and software. This extensive co-development ensured the system’s resilience and effectiveness across diverse operating environments, including those prone to theft and characterized by weak grid infrastructure.
Daniel Huang, founder and CEO of GoodWe, extended his congratulations on the launch of AI Mode, hailing it as a ‘clean energy innovation.’ “We are proud to have worked with Wetility on this and looking forward to bring more savings, more power and more impact to South African homes,” Huang commented, underscoring the global potential of this collaborative effort.
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Wetility views research, development, and strategic collaborations like that with GoodWe as ongoing investments, not merely in technology, but fundamentally in impact. The SAPVIA award serves as a powerful validation of this philosophy, reinforcing the company’s commitment to building solutions that address critical energy challenges and enhance customer experience at scale.
