New era dawns for locally made lithium-ion batteries

July 14, 2025

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Zimbabwe's state-owned Verify Engineering has announced the success of its first locally produced lithium-ion battery, which recorded zero failures after undergoing a one-year test. This marks a new era for the mineral-rich country and comes as it prepares to ban the export of unprocessed lithium concentrate by 2027, aiming to retain more value from its resources.

  • The continent has long been a supplier of raw materials, paying for processing elsewhere. This has slowed down Africa's progress in renewable energy tech.

  • African battery energy storage projects are becoming ever more common, with demand projected to reach $4.4 billion by 2030, presenting a opportunity for local manufacturing.

  • Our take: Building regional mineral economic blocks will be essential for raw materials supply for large-scale production and cost reduction… Read more (2 min)

Kenya's quest for cheap power suffered a blow with the termination of its largest hydropower project, citing failure to meet a number of undisclosed conditions in the development plan. The project named High Grand Falls Dam was to generate 500 MW, and with plans to double that capacity to provide power to meet the country's growing demand.

  • The project was estimated to cost $2.61 billion and was to be built by GBM Limited, a UK-based engineering firm. The contracting authority, the National Irrigation Authority, may invite new bidders.

  • Hydropower is crucial for providing cheap baseload power. With the termination of the High Grand Falls project, Kenya will need to rely on imports from Ethiopia to meet immediate power needs.

  • Our take: Kenya needs to pursue small hydropower projects for the short to medium-term power plans… Read more (2 min)

Cash prices for solar panels, solar home systems, and inverters remained relatively flat in Kenya in July. However, South Africa experienced a 6.2% decline in lithium-ion battery prices, and Nigeria saw an average 2.7% decrease in solar panel prices. Egypt’s lithium-ion battery price also dipped slightly. All this happens against a backdrop of a weakening dollar.

  • Renewables Rising collects and analyses monthly data on select energy products  (solar panels, inverters, solar home systems and lithium-ion batteries) across four representative countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt and Kenya.

  • Nigeria registered a decrease in solar panel prices at the same time as the country is pushing local manufacturing of solar components, adding to the downward pressure.

  • Our take: New and evolving policies across these countries are likely to distort the renewables market… Read more (2 min)

Alliance for Rural Electrification graduates a cohort of the ARE Investment Academy in Lesotho

 

Events

🗓️ Attend the SOLAR AFRICA - Tanzania event (Oct 8)

🗓️ Sign up for the Solar & Storage Live Cape Town event (Oct 15)

🗓️ Take part in the OFF-GRID Expo + Conference (Oct 30)

Jobs

🛠️ Be Scatec Solar’s Lead Project planner (Tunisia)

👨🏻‍💼 Join Sun King as a Regional Store Coordinator (Nigeria)

👩🏻‍💻 Apply for Husk Power Systems’ Senior Associate (Nigeria)

Various 

⚡ In Goma, Congo, Nuru has completed installing a 1.3 MW solar microgrid

🔋 Namibia is advocating for an Africa-wide green industrialisation centre

🔌 Sarens delivers  216 wind turbine components to SA's largest private wind farm

Seen on LinkedIn 

Michael Sorge, VP of Sales at ZEO Energy, says, “The days of making 18% commissions on solar sales are over. Whoever cares most about the BUYER wins. Stop making it harder for your buyers to say Yes.”