Private project to join Africa’s largest power market

June 24, 2025

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The Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), Africa's largest operational electricity market, is expanding by 25 MW of solar following the financial close of Zambia's Ilute solar project. The plant, which is now moving to construction, will be one of the first privately developed energy projects to connect to the SAPP through its competitive and open-access market.

  • The SAPP is seeing exorbitant electricity demand but insufficient supply. The deficit is largely due to dysfunction in South Africa's energy sector. This prompted it to reduce supply and backfill domestic gaps.

  • Private power generators have recently been attracted to Zambia after it streamlined project approval procedures, now taking less than two days.

  • Our take: African countries need smarter grids to facilitate cross-border electricity trading … Read more (2 min)

China-based multinational heavy equipment manufacturer SANY has launched an All-in-One Mobile Photovoltaic (PV) System across West Africa. The innovation lies in its plug-and-play nature, which combines solar generation, storage and smart management. It targets the construction, mining, agriculture and remote residential sectors.

  • Africa’s off-grid solar landscape has historically accelerated thanks to innovations such as the solar home systems and micro-grids. However, many solutions have so far required fixed infrastructure, complex installation or lack true mobility.

  • Nigeria is thought to present a $10 billion annual opportunity in off-grid solar due to its large population lacking grid access and frequent power outages. West Africa’s solar PV market is growing at an estimated 32% a year. 

  • Our take: New solutions could redefine how Africa powers remote communities… Read more (2 min)

The use of artificial intelligence can reliably boost renewables integration without compromising grid stability. AI can boost the growing number of prosumers (consumers who also produce energy) and feed excess energy to the grid. This is vital for Africa, where nearly half the population lacks electricity, writes Satyajit Dwivedi in today's opinion article.

  • He is the Regional Director, Energy Utilities, Mining & Metals at a SAS, a software company utilising AI in data analytics.

  • Mr Dwivedi believes integrating AI with the Internet of Things (IoT) provides the electrical grid with a functional "brain." It allows the grid to sense, analyse and respond in real-time, enabling utility companies to proactively manage grid performance.

  • Click here to read the rest of his opinion… Read more (6 min)

Empower New Energy inks $11m deal with Justrite Limited to expand solar and battery installations across Nigeria

Events

🗓️ Engage in a renewable energy generation technologies discussion (Jun 26)

🗓️ Be at the Power and Elec Uganda 2025 event (Jul 10)

🗓️ Attend the Africa Energy Week event (Sep 29)

Jobs

🛒 Become Localisation Support Fund’s Procurement Manager (South Africa)

👔 Apply for Green Co Africa’s Operation Manager position (Zambia)

👷🏻‍♀️ Join Scatec Solar as a Quantity Surveyor (South Africa)

Various 

💸 Germany commits $21.5 million to Nigeria in a new energy deal

💡 Tanzania unveils  $13 billion roadmap towards universal energy access

💰 South Africa’s SOLA Group secures $13.9m for its Orionis solar PV fund

Seen on LinkedIn 

Mark Ellis, Director at Battery Corp National Operations, says, “Regulation is lagging behind. Stored energy could be traded, aggregated, time-shifted, but the frameworks don’t exist.”