Frequently Asked Questions
How do I buy solar cells?
Buying solar cells is easy. Simply sign up, add funds to your account, head to the Projects page, select an open crowdsale and click/tap on the “Buy Solar Cells Now” button.
How do I add funds to my Sun Exchange account?
You can add funds to your Sun Exchange account by clicking on the “Add Funds” button, found on your dashboard, on any project page, or on the drop down menu in the top right of any page on our site.
We accept Credit Cards, Bank Transfers and Bitcoin.
How much can I earn per month?
Your monthly earning potential is entirely linked to the amount of electricity generated by your solar cells in a specific project during that period. Your earnings will be lower in winter versus summer. The estimates we give are annualised averages. There is an earnings estimator tool on each project page that can help you understand your annual earning potential for that specific project. Not all projects have the same earning potential, so be sure to research each project before purchasing.
How do I get paid?
Your monthly solar income is paid into your Sun Exchange dashboard wallet in either the local currency of the solar project or in Bitcoin (BTC). The monthly income you accumulate can be used to buy more solar cells in other solar projects, or withdrawn to a bank account in the local country of the project or your personal Bitcoin wallet.
Can I have my solar rental income paid into my bank account?
You can only withdraw solar income earned in fiat currency if you have a bank account located in the country of that currency. International bank transfers are expensive. To enable you to receive your solar income anywhere in the world, we offer payments in Bitcoin
How do I add a payout/withdrawal account?
Simply navigate to your dashboard, click/tap on the “Payout accounts” tab and then add your payout account.
How often is rental paid?
Rental payments are made in the first week of the month, starting at the beginning of the month following the completed installation. These monthly payments continue for the 20 year lease period.
Can I sell my solar cells?
The solar cell product isn't designed to be re-sold/traded. They are on a 20 year solar cell lease for long term income. Think of it like buying solar panels for your house. It’s a long-term commitment. You can't go back to your installer a year or so later and ask them to buy back a few of your panels!
A secondary market may be a feature we launch in the future, but there is no guarantee that it will happen, so you should only buy solar cells with the view that you won't be able to sell them in the future.
What is IRR and how is it calculated?
IRR stands for internal rate of return and is the interest rate at which the net present value of all the cash flows (both positive and negative) from a project or investment equal zero. IRR is used to evaluate the attractiveness of a project or investment.
For a more detailed definition of IRR and how it is calculated please check out this Investopedia article
What happens if Sun Exchange goes bankrupt?
Once you purchase your solar cells and agree to lease them to the designated project and the crowdsale completes, the deed of title of your solar cells is transferred to the Sun Exchange Bewind trust.
The Bewind Trust structure is ideal for holding assets such as your solar cells, as the assets/property are always owned by you under your name. Any cash flows generated by your solar cells assets are passed through to you without changing form - the Trust takes in rental income and distributes rental income. This allows Sun Exchange to hold your assets in a Trust that is governed by Trustees and greatly reduces compliance and bankruptcy risks.
The Bewind Trust is perfect for both Sun Exchange's ability to scale effectively, hosting thousands of projects efficiently, whilst still safeguarding your assets against Sun Exchange business risks and simplifying cashflow transparency.
What are the withdrawal options?
We have two withdrawal options:
- Within 24hrs - your withdrawal will be processed within 24hrs of submitting the request.
- Next Wednesday - provided your request is received before 00:00 am UTC on Wednesday, it will be processed that Wednesday during South African business hours.
Why do I need to verify my identity?
In order for us to comply with international KYC/AML (Know Your Customer/Anti-Money Laundering) regulations we need to verify your identity.