About Solarain
We don’t just install off-grid systems. We live in one.
Keep the lights on, the fridge running, and your business operating — whatever Eskom is doing. We design and install integrated solar and water systems for home independence and resilient living.
Our story
In 2018, my family and I made a decision that most people thought was mad — we moved to a smallholding in Keurbooms, Plettenberg Bay, and cut ourselves off entirely from Eskom and municipal water.
No grid connection. No municipal supply. Just solar panels, harvested rainwater, and the willingness to figure it out as we went. That became the foundation of our approach to off grid living and resilient home infrastructure.
Eight years later, that same system powers four homes on our property — three of which are busy Airbnb rentals running year-round. We’ve hosted hundreds of guests without a single night of load shedding, and we haven’t paid a municipal water or Eskom bill in nearly a decade.
That experience is the foundation of everything Solarain does.
Why it matters to you
Most solar and water installers can quote you a system. Far fewer have actually lived inside one through a Western Cape dry summer, a week of solid cloud cover, or a back-to-back fully booked holiday weekend with three Airbnbs running simultaneously.
I’ve made the mistakes, found the limits, and worked out what genuinely holds up under real daily pressure. When I design a system for your home, rural home or smallholding, I’m drawing on that — not just a product catalogue. This is what shapes our approach to resilient homes and smart off grid system design.
Brendan Proctor
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For more than 8 years, my family and I have lived completely off-grid on our farm in Keurbooms, Plettenberg Bay, powered entirely by solar energy and harvested rainwater — with no Eskom and no municipal water.
During that time, we have built and connected four homes to a single off-grid system. Three of these homes are very busy Airbnb rentals, providing ongoing real-world testing of the system under varying occupancy and demand.
Living this way every day has given me firsthand insight into what truly works. The solar and water solutions I recommend are based on years of practical experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to achieve reliable, long-term independence.
– Brendan Proctor, Founder of Solarain
What we believe
A few things we won’t compromise on:
A solar system and a water system designed together, from the start, performs better and costs less over time than two separate systems bolted together after the fact. This is the core principle behind integrated solar and water solutions.
An undersized system fails when you need it most. An oversized system wastes your money upfront and sits idle. Proper sizing comes from understanding how a household or rural home actually uses energy and water — not from applying a formula. That’s why we design tailored energy and water independence systems for each property.
A system that isn’t maintained degrades quietly until it fails at the worst possible moment. We build ongoing servicing into every relationship because we’re accountable for how your system performs long after commissioning day. Supporting long-term home resilience systems through maintenance and optimisation.
Off-grid living shouldn’t require constant monitoring, workarounds, or crossed fingers. Done properly, it should simply work — day after day, season after season. That’s the goal of modern smart off grid systems and resilient homes.
Who we work with
We design and install systems for homeowners, rural homes & smallholdings, guesthouses, and Airbnb properties across the Garden Route — primarily Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, and the surrounding areas. Every project is personally assessed, designed, and overseen by me. Solarain is not a franchise, not a subcontractor operation, and not a call centre with a team of reps. You deal with one person, from the first conversation to the final commissioning. Specialists in off grid installer services for water and energy independence systems.
Residential homes
Homes looking to reduce electricity bills, secure a reliable water supply, and stay powered through load shedding. Focused on home independence and sustainable homes.
Rural homes & smallholdings
Rural homes and smallholdings needing independent solar power and a reliable water system built for everyday rural demands. Often requiring integrated power & water systems for full autonomy.
Guesthouses
Guesthouses and Airbnbs that require uninterrupted power and a consistent water supply — whatever the weather, whatever the season.
Businesses
Businesses and commercial properties aiming to cut operating costs with solar energy and reduce exposure to water supply disruptions. Supporting resilient infrastructure and operational continuity.
Off-grid
Remote and eco properties operating entirely beyond the municipal electricity grid and water supply — designed for true, long-term independence. Full off grid living solutions built for self-sufficient properties.
Thinking about going off-grid, or just want a second opinion on a quote you’ve received?
I’m happy to have an honest conversation about what would actually work for your property.