• Huawei and MTN have teamed up to offer a modular solar inverter to SMEs on contract.
• This is the Huawei Power-M solution, which can be upgraded for solar panels or more battery storage according to customer needs.
• The contracts start at R1 699 per month for the smallest plan, and up to R3 135 for 15kWh storage. All plans are for a 60 month period.

It’s official. 2023 will come to a close as the year with the most loadshedding ever in South African history. Eskom’s power crisis continues unabated, and despite improvements in the latter half of the year, breakdowns have continued and people are still dealing with daily outages.

To cushion the staggering blow daily power cuts have on small businesses in the country, and to capitalise on desperate business owners looking to keep their operations going during blackouts, MTN Business has partnered with Chinese tech firm Huawei to bring a new energy solution to market.

This is the Huawei Power-M solar inverter, which through the partnership with MTN and power and IT infrastructure provider Verteco, is now available online. The partnership will see Huawei supply inverters to customers, who will pay for them via contracts similar to ones for smartphones, airtime or data.

“An advanced loadshedding solution, HUAWEI Power-M is designed to provide a space-efficient and digital backup power solution for SMEs. With its versatility, Power-M can cater to the power requirements of various business setups, ranging from small offices to larger establishments,” MTN describes the Power-M solution from Huawei in an announcement.

According to Huawei, the inverter offers an “all-in-one” solution, which means you don’t need additional devices for solar requirements. Huawei is also offering a 10-year swap out warranty and claims that the inverter “guarantees a continuous power supply.”

The device itself appears like a rectangular box that fits on the wall and is modular by design which allows expansion of battery capacity or solar implementation if one requires it. The packages MTN and Huawei are offering to SMEs also include add-on solar panels, or additional batteries to fit whatever scale your business requires.

“At MTN Business we understand that loadshedding is hindering small business growth and potential, and through our partnership with Huawei, we aim to empower these businesses by offering a reliable and flexible power backup solution,” explains Songezo Masiso, GM SME and Indirect Channel at MTN SA.

“The Power-M module not only provides a seamless backup power solution but also offers the flexibility to integrate with various power sources such as grid and diesel generators, and solar panels. This ensures that businesses can adapt their power backup setup according to their evolving needs.” 

MTN says financing for SMEs to purchase the device is “flexible” through deals with Centrafin and Absa Bank.

“Customers can choose to purchase the solution outright or opt for a rental option, catering to their specific financial requirements. With swift installation services, customers can have their power solution for their home office set up within 10 days,” MTN details.

The plans start at R1 699 for the smallest amount of energy which can power a router and a few lights. This basic option for the 5kW inverter with 5kWh battery storage is soft-locked to 2.5kW during load-shedding.

All the contracts are for a 60-month period. Essentially for the basic plan, you will be paying R101 940 after the contract period is finished.

Huawei Power-M Price Plans: