Polymath Solar is a venture brought to life by Willem van Schalkwyk and Emsie Klopper (PhD).
Willem's experience as an entrepreneur started in 2003 and includes Aviation, Software development and now Renewable Energy.
He completed the 'Solar Power Technician' and 'Solar Power Designer' courses with the Maxx Academy in 2014.
During the early years in the solar industry his focus was on residential solutions, using popular entry-level inverters, but soon matured to Victron and SMA and until 2021 his ventures installed only Victron, Fronius, SMA and SolarEdge products.
As experience levels grew, he ventured into the commercial space and now focuses primarily on the commercial and industrial segments of the RE industry.
Willem completed his P4 Certification with AREP in 2017 and obtained his PV Greencard in 2018. The Green Solar Academy approached Willem in 2019 to start presenting the Solar Professional Designer: Commercial course, and he presented this course as well as the ‘system design and engineering‘ days at the Green Solar Academy Super Solar School.
In January 2022 Polymath Solar was birthed when Dr. Emsie (Emma) Klopper and Willem joined forces, to take a new direction in the Renewable Energy industry. Emma worked with Willem from 2020 doing Design and Engineering, first as a part-time design engineer, but later full-time.
Emma is now a Director and Shareholder of PolyMathSolar, and is also contracted as a part-time lecturer at the University of Pretoria since 1992 teaching both undergraduate and post graduate courses in meteorology. Her background in meteorology supports the niche of solar energy applications.
The primary focus of the new PolyMathSolar is to deliver Solar Intelligence through:
The Dynamic Duo, Willem and Emma, are driven.
On 28 October 2023 Willem & Emma launched the Polymath Solar Youtube Channel,
The focus of this (mostly) free channel is to offer accurate- and easy to understand solar information for anyone to install safe solar systems.
On 16 November Willem & Emma launched
The Solar Marketplace (TSM) is an exceptional multi-vendor platform that brings together buyers, sellers, installers, and enthusiasts of solar technology in one focussed marketplace.
TSM creates a community of people that has one thing in common...solar!
Why is it such a great idea?
There is a desperate need for reliable, safe and professional solar systems and services in South Africa, the reasons for this are obvious.
This desperate need for solar caused frantic buyers to create a demand that the market could not supply, which triggered dozens of retailers and hundreds of installers to rush in and flood the market with products and services.
The result is that the market is fragmented, with searches on the internet revealing so many options and possibilities that even to the seasoned shopper, it seems impossible to make a smart purchase.
The Buyers need for one central place, where products and services can be listed and compared, technically and economically, with reliable and accurate information to guide the buyer in making the right decision.
The Sellers need one central place, where the buyers are, to showcase their products and services to enjoy maximum exposure and offer the market greater variety and price options.
The Solar Installers that offer professional and safe services need to find a means of presenting their experience and expertise to the infantile market, visibly different to the unscrupulous newbie's entering the market.