- About 2GW of solar projects have been announced since June.
- The projects are in various stages of development.
Solar power has increasingly gained traction on the continent over the past decade. As a result, the continent has seen a considerable increase in solar projects being developed. As energy demand grows and companies look to become sustainable, solar power is moving from an alternative energy source to the main source of power generation for many.
According to the Africa Solar Industry Association (AISA), about 1.9GW of utility-scale solar projects have been announced over the past three months. These projects are in various development stages, from tendering and licencing through financial closure and construction. Some of the projects include the Kenhardt solar project in South Africa, which comprises 540MW of solar production and 1,140MWh of energy storage. Norwegian developer Scatec was awarded the tender for the project in June.
Another South African project, the 100MW Redstone Solar project, is currently in the funding stage. In addition, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) recently approved 7 PV project licences to develop a cumulative 66.1MW. In Zambia, the construction of three solar facilities with a total capacity of 200MW has commenced.
In every part of the continent, there are several large-scale solar PV projects in various stages ss of development.