HERHOLDT’S GROUP: Bringing the Best Brands to SA’s Renewable Energy Boom

In South Africa, the green energy transition is well and truly underway, albeit quiet and gradual. According to the International Energy Association (IEA), coal is still South Africa’s mainstay and the most industrialised nation on the continent has a lot of work to do to wean itself away from the natural resource – which fuels 70% of installed capacity. Other fuels in the mix include oil, natural gas, nuclear, and some biofuels, but wind and solar are minimal contributors.

Eskom continues to implement loadshedding across its network when supply fails to meet demand and, while crippling for businesses and households, this challenge has presented an opportunity, one which is being grasped by many in the private sector. 

Solar energy has, over the past decade, become cheaper than ever before. In fact, the IEA highlights solar power as the cheapest source of electricity in history. In 2021, half of all new capacity installed around the world was solar PV. By 2030, it is expected that 33% of all energy produced will be from wind and solar. In South Africa, where the sun shines for 2500 hours each year, solar is up and coming.

Rooftop capacity in the country is large. Wide open arid landscapes hold major potential. Engineering skill is strong, and the appetite for change amidst loadshedding is vast. Companies looking to invest in solar have options. For leading electrical, lighting, and renewable energy business, Herholdt’s Group, bringing value and service to the solar industry in South Africa is a certainty. The company’s range includes everything from general electrical items and tools through industrial lighting and accessories, to PV modules, batteries, solar inverters, and much more. Many leading brands are stocked, and a national footprint is helping clients to advance their energy transition position.

“With our Head Office in Bloemfontein and branches in Kimberley, Gauteng, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Gqeberha, George, Centurion, and Durban we are able to distribute to anywhere in South Africa and our bordering countries,” the company says.

HISTORIC 

Established in 1974 by Bernhard (Kiepie) Herholdt – a qualified electrical contractor from Bloemfontein – the early focus of the business was to electrify large building projects such as hospitals and libraries in the Free State. After some expansion into new parts of the electrical industry, and a strong focus on customer service leading to a sterling reputation, Kiepie’s family had also become involved in the business and youngest son, Heine, was heading up the branch in Kimberley. There, a conversation with a customer led to the business investing into solar resources and realising the opportunity for businesses to harness the power of the sun to provide a buffer or mitigation against loadshedding. 

“Ours is indeed a remarkable success story and legacy despite humble beginnings,” the company says. 

In 2021, after a number of successful installations and a healthy brand in SA, the Adenia Group acquired 78% of Herholdt’s Group, promising to further enhance the business to capitalise on the positivity achieved to date. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Adenia as an investor and look forward to continue our growth with their strategic guidance and steadfast approach to improving governance. The partnership is in perfect alignment with Herholdt’s ambitions to become a national market leader, while meeting the highest industry and environmental standards,” said Heine Herholdt, now CEO of the company.  

In May 2023, confirmation that the new partnership with Adenia was indeed working came when the Financial Times released its list of the 100 Fastest Growing Companies in Africa. At number 36, Herholdt’s Group displayed a compound annual growth rate of almost 50% and 2021 revenues of more than $100 million.

A driver of this is the unabating demand for solar. In the first half of 2023, SA imported R12 billion worth of solar cells and solar PV panels. This equates to around 2200 MW of renewable energy power. Loadshedding, which was the same to May 2023 as the whole of 2022, was the main driver alongside the spiralling cost of energy.

SOLAR POWER

By August 2023, rooftop solar capacity increased by 349% on the previous year. This is where Herholdt’s can play a big role. Private companies and individuals are no longer interested in relying on Eskom to solve problems and are taking issues into their own hands. In June 2023, the City of Cape Town announced plans to buy excess power back from private generating assets to feed the grid. The government has realised the potential of solar as a decarbonising tool and is offering rebates to households that install rooftop panels. But the transition has only just begun, giving Herholdt’s a clear growth trajectory. This is why the company is a founding member of the Association for Renewable Energy Practitioners, helping to shape the industry going forward.

In December, the company was proud to display a large solar system in Petrusburg, Free State. Here, trusted installation partner MacDé Electrical used products from Herholdt’s including inverters, batteries, panels, and wires to create a brilliant solution that saves money and reduces carbon footprint.

In Richards Bay, at Felixton College, 280 panels power three superior batteries for a sustainable solution that allow for education to continue. Installed by 365Solar – another Herholdt’s partner – the project sees state-of-the-art intelligence connected with modern technology, all by local expertise. 

At the Pumula Beach Hotel in KZN, AdRenewables utilised hybrid inverters, batteries, and PV modules from Sunsynk – distributed in SA by Herholdt’s – to ensure the sustainability of the resort in a natural setting on the beautiful Umzumbe beach.

These examples are evidence of the success that comes from innovative forward thinking and collaboration. Master installers are trusted to bring products to life, and the Herholdt’s name stands behind the entire process. 

EXPANDING PRESENCE

As the brand continues to build around the country, and in bordering nations, a new centre of excellence was announced in Cape Town in August 2023. Courtesy of Redefine Properties, the Brackengate 2 precinct is a business park in the northern suburbs, home to a number of big companies, attracted by fantastic facilities. Herholdt’s will take a 4927 m² warehouse and 820 m² office space – all with Level 1 Edge Certification – valued at R64.5 million to support expansion in the Western Cape. Close to the N1, this position is perfectly connected and will see Herholdt’s neighbour with some of SA’s biggest brands. 

For the Herholdt’s Group, and others in the industry, it is certain that the energy transition will continue, and there is strong expectation that the Eskom challenges will endure, despite the appointment of a new CEO recently. Clearly, now is the time to give yourself and your business a backup, and Herholdt’s and its network of partnerships are industry leaders. Energy provision and climate preparedness is not an area to be taken lightly. The country is and will continue to shift. Partner with the best to ensure you are not left behind.

“With expanding our brand, comes expanding to different locations all over South Africa to make our services and products more readily available to all our customers nationwide. We stock a wide range of top-quality Renewable Energy products and accessories from the best brands, at highly competitive rates,” the company concludes.