SolarDutyCalc

Slash 30% import duties on solar panels & batteries with instant Ghana-specific calculations & exemptions.

Score: 7.9/10GhanaMedium BuildReady to Spawn
Brand Colors

The Opportunity

Problem

Ghanaian energytech firms face up to 30% import duties on solar panels and batteries, inflating costs and blocking scalability of off-grid solutions.

Solution

SolarDutyCalc instantly computes exact duties, VAT, and fees for solar imports into Ghana, while highlighting exemptions under ECOWAS and AfCFTA rules. It generates compliant documentation and suggests duty-minimizing strategies like partial local assembly. Energytech firms scale faster with 20-30% cost savings without changing suppliers.

Target Audience

Ghanaian energytech firms developing and scaling off-grid solar solutions

Differentiator

Ghana-only focus with real-time customs data integration and AI exemption matching—no generic global tools match local nuances.

Brand Voice

professional

Features

Duty Calculator

must-have12h

Input product HS codes, quantities, values to get precise duty breakdowns.

Exemption Checker

must-have10h

Scans for AfCFTA/ECOWAS exemptions and generates application templates.

Cost Simulator

must-have15h

Models total landed costs with scenarios for duties, shipping, forex.

Document Generator

must-have8h

Auto-creates customs forms and BoP declarations for Ghana Revenue Authority.

Supplier Duty Compare

must-have10h

Compares duty costs across global suppliers for optimal choice.

Duty Alerts

nice-to-have6h

Email notifications on tariff changes from Ghana Customs.

Historical Tracker

nice-to-have5h

Logs past calculations for audit and trend analysis.

API Integration

future20h

Embed calculator in firm’s ERP/invoicing systems.

Total Build Time: 86 hours

Database Schema

users

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
emailtextNo
company_nametextNo
created_attimestampNo

calculations

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
user_iduuidNo
hs_codetextNo
quantityintNo
valueintNo
duty_amountintNo
created_attimestampNo

Relationships:

  • user_id references users(id)

exemptions

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
hs_codetextNo
rule_nametextNo
expiry_datetimestampYes

API Endpoints

POST
/api/calculate-duty

Compute duty based on inputs

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/exemptions/:hs_code

Fetch exemptions for HS code

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/calculations

List user calculations

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/documents/:calc_id

Generate PDF docs

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/tariff-updates

Latest duty rates

Tech Stack

Frontend
Next.js 14 + Tailwind + shadcn/ui
Backend
Next.js API routes + Supabase Edge Functions
Database
Supabase Postgres
Auth
Supabase Auth
Payments
Stripe
Hosting
Vercel
Additional Tools
pdf-lib for docszod for validation

Build Timeline

Week 1: Core calc engine & UI

25h
  • Duty calculator MVP
  • Basic auth

Week 2: Exemptions & simulator

20h
  • Exemption checker
  • Cost sim UI

Week 3: DB & user features

20h
  • User dashboard
  • Saved calcs

Week 4: Docs & payments

15h
  • PDF gen
  • Pricing tiers

Week 5: Polish & alerts

10h
  • Email alerts
  • Mobile resp
Total Timeline: 5 weeks • 105 hours

Pricing Tiers

Free

$0/mo

No docs/export

  • 5 calcs/month
  • Basic exemptions

Pro

$30/mo

1 user

  • Unlimited calcs
  • Docs gen
  • Alerts

Enterprise

$99/mo

None

  • Team access
  • API
  • Custom HS

Revenue Projections

MonthUsersConversionMRRARR
Month 11003%$90$1,080
Month 64008%$960$11,520

Unit Economics

$40
CAC
$360
LTV
5%
Churn
92%
Margin
LTV:CAC Ratio: 9.0xExcellent!

Landing Page Copy

Cut 30% Solar Import Duties in Ghana Instantly

Precise calculators, exemptions, and docs for energytech scaling off-grid solutions.

Feature Highlights

Real-time duty breakdowns
AfCFTA exemption auto-check
Landed cost forecasts
Customs-ready PDFs

Social Proof (Placeholders)

"Saved us 25% on first battery import! - EcoPower GH"
"Exemptions we missed before. Game-changer. - SunTech Ltd"

First Three Customers

DM 10 Ghana energytech firms on LinkedIn (e.g., Bboxx, PEG Africa partners) offering free Pro trial for feedback; attend Accra renewable events; post in Ghana Solar Facebook groups with demo video.

Launch Channels

Product Huntr/SaaSIndie HackersLinkedIn Ghana RenewablesTwitter #GhanaSolar

SEO Keywords

ghana solar import duties calculatorafcfTA solar exemptions ghanaghana customs duty solar panels

Competitive Analysis

TradeMap

trademap.org
Free basic
Strength

Global HS data

Weakness

No Ghana-specific exemptions or automation

Our Advantage

Local duty sim + docs tailored to GRA

🏰 Moat Strategy

Proprietary Ghana customs data scraping + user-saved calc history for benchmarking.

⏰ Why Now?

AfCFTA implementation accelerating exemptions; Ghana's off-grid solar boom post-dumsor crises.

Risks & Mitigation

legalmedium severity

Customs data changes

Mitigation

Weekly manual updates + user reports

marketlow severity

Low awareness of tools

Mitigation

Targeted LinkedIn ads

technicalmedium severity

HS code accuracy

Mitigation

Partner with customs broker

Validation Roadmap

pre-build7 days

Interview 5 energytech CEOs

Success: 3 confirm pain & WOY

mvp14 days

Beta with 10 users

Success: 80% retention wk2

launch3 days

PH launch

Success: 50 signups

Pivot Options

  • Expand to Nigeria/Kenya duties
  • General import tool for renewables
  • Broker matching service

Quick Stats

Build Time
105h
Target MRR (6 mo)
$1,000
Market Size
$5.0M
Features
8
Database Tables
3
API Endpoints
5