Mr Solar mulls expansion
BOTSWANA GUARDIAN: Kindly introduce Mr Solar to readers and the public out there.
TUMISANG THAPELO: Mr Solar is a Botswana-headquartered, 100 percent and female owned company. The company is in the green energy sector and has been in operation since 2017. We currently have branches in Gaborone, Serowe and Harare in Zimbabwe. The company has established a strong reputation as a provider of integrated solar services.
Working and collaborating with professionals from solar manufacturing industries, Mr Solar has designed and launched a highly successful line of Hybrid Solar Pumping systems which have provided farmers with an excess of 6.5billion litres of water to date.
GUARDIAN: What motivated the formation of the company?
THAPELO: As a Mineral Engineer by profession, my parents were looking for solar at their farm and all solar service providers’ prices in Botswana were high. At that point, I jumped into the opportunity and installed my parents their first solar system.
As they say, the rest is history. Word of mouth recommendations grew and Mr Solar was eventually established as a corporate, registered legally. This company for me was a ‘Hail Mary’ because it found me at a low point in my life where I was a hopeless unemployed graduate.
GUARDIAN: Any start-up has its own peculiar challenges, especially in a developing economy like ours. What kind of hurdles did the company experience during the early years of operations? THAPELO: One thing the company desperately needed was a car to service client installations at the beginning.
We were forced to borrow from family and friends. Later on, by God’s grace, we managed to get the company its first car, which was a second hand. In 2021, we purchased our first brand new van from GWM and started doing installations within 48hours of purchase. In the early year as the solar employee, I had to wear many hats from logistics, Sales, Accounting to Hydraulics. As I speak today, I am surrounded by a team of experts who are able to do work without my assistance.
Guardian: What competitive edge does the company has?
THAPELO: Our competitive edge is Durability meets Affordability. Our pumps are very well priced to meet most budgets and the quality is exceptional. As a matter of fact, water pumps that we installed for our customers way back in 2018, are still in use today.
GUARDIAN: Where does the company source its products?
THAPELO: We source solar pumps and panels from premium manufacturers in Sweden, Germany and China.
GUARDIAN: Who is Mr Solar’s target market locally and why?
THAPELO: We target all kinds of farmers from livestock to crop farmers – Our national grid does not cover most remote areas like farms. This explains why farmers rely heavily on solar pumping systems as a source of water for cattle, crops and household use.
In Botswana, most farmers largely choose solar power over generators, since the latter is expensive to maintain, despite low yields.
GUARDIAN: What has been some of the major achievements of Mr Solar since inception more than five years ago?
THAPELO: In 2020, we opened a second branch in Gaborone, In 2021, we opened a third branch in Harare. In 2021, the company represented Botswana at the Ecomondo Energy Exhibition in Italy, Rimini. In 2022, thanks to the under 30 Forbes Summit, we were able to find an investor whom we are currently collaborating with. In terms of market coverage, we celebrated our 1000th customer in 2022.
GUARDIAN: What is stalling Botswana from becoming a green economy, which many countries are already aggressively pushing to become?
THAPELO: In developed countries there is higher demand for solar because there are rebates, tax incentives that support mass consumers growing green. If such rebates existed for any consumer that wants to power their home, offices or farmers would be encouraged to use solar a lot more.
In Botswana we find that people only consider Green energy if they don’t have access to the BPC grid which means the main focus group for solar consumers are farmers.
GUARDIAN: In Mr Solar’s view, what could be done to ensure Batswana appreciate renewable energy more?
THAPELO: Batswana need to be given better solar payment plans, which is what Mr Solar is currently working on. Through our investor, we have access to funds that allow us to fit solar systems and collect the payment after the system is installed; however, we are yet to find a union or corporation that will collaborate with us to give us access to mass consumers that we need, to get the project off the ground.
GUARDIAN: We understand the company wants to be the best solar products retailer in SADC in two years-time. Explain to us how you will be able to achieve this rather ambitious target?
THAPELO: Currently, solar systems are bought strictly on a cash upfront basis, Mr Solar plans to offer inclusive solar financing options to bring to clients. We will also reach our target through affordability and an innovative distribution strategy.
GUARDIAN: Who is funding the company’s southern Africa region’s expansion?
THAPELO: We have a private investor that will be assisting us with our growth plans in terms of solar financing. The ultimate goal however is to make the company public by 2027.
GUARDIAN: Who are your strategic partners?
THAPELO: We are still working on getting strategic partners. Nonetheless, the company has executed projects for Karowe diamond mine, Central District Council (CDC) and Botswana Wildlife. We have also greatly benefited from initiatives like LIMID and NDB which give 50% grants to farmers on solar pumping systems purchases.
GUARDIAN: What does the future holds for Mr Solar?
THAPELO: We will continue to grow through making solar more affordable and convenient for clients. Mr Solar also wants to give back to the community through free workshops and trainings, a development which will lead to youth realising opportunities that exists in the green energy sector.