Rwanda-based Africa Solar Industry Association (Afsia) notes in its latest ‘Africa Solar Outlook’ report that between 400 GW and 600 GW of solar capacity was installed, globally, in 2024, marking a 44% year-on-year increase and a new record year for solar installations.

Afsia projects there to be 2 000 GW of installed solar across the world.

African countries added 2.5 GW of new solar capacity in 2024, reaching a total 19.2 GW across the continent – this does not account for residential installations.

South Africa had the most solar installations at 1.2 GW last year, followed by Egypt with 707 MW, Zambia with 74 MW and Nigeria with 63 MW.

African countries still only represent 0.5% of all global new capacity, which does not do justice to the continent’s solar potential nor the need for new power generation.

“While 2024 may not have been great in terms of new capacity added [in Africa], several major projects have experienced significant progress and 40 GW of new projects were announced, representing a 21% increase of the projects pipeline compared with 2023,” Afsia states.

It points out that South Africa maintains its leading position in African solar, but that Egypt, Zambia, Nigeria and Angola are fast increasing their rollout of utility-scale projects.

This year may see a bigger shift in the distribution of solar as several landmark projects have started construction in countries that do not belong to the group of “usual suspects” for solar leaders in Africa.

Afsia also notes that while commercial and industrial installations are important with 39% of the market in South Africa, other countries are more focused on utility-scale developments, with utility-scale solar representing 72% of all new capacity installed in 2024.

From a solar percentage in the energy mix perspective, Central African Republic leads with 43.1% of its energy mix comprising solar power, followed by Mauritania with 20%, Namibia with 13% and Somalia and Mali with 11%.

Despite the vast number of solar installations in South Africa, it only comprises 6.5% of the country’s energy mix.

“African countries continue to perform very well in terms of solar penetration in their energy mix, with 21 countries already producing 5% or more of the electricity they consume through solar. Seven African countries even have solar contribute more than 10% of their total electricity consumption,” Afsia states.

The association predicts that solar capacity in Africa may increase by another 20 GW this year, on the back of growing commercial and industrial installations, wheeling projects and utility-scale projects.

Large-scale planned solar capacity represents more than 80% of all solar capacity planned to be added in coming years, comprising 81 GW worth of projects across the continent.

STORAGE BOOM

Afsia says storage solutions are experiencing a significant boost in Africa, with the continent’s installed capacity having grown from 50 MWh in 2022 to 157 MWh in 2023 and more than 1 641 MWh in 2024.

This exponential growth is likely to continue as Afsia has already identified 18 GWh worth of projects under development.

It helps that new battery production capacity has come online globally, which has generated economies of scale and a higher level of competition between manufacturers – all leading to decreasing prices for energy storage.

Notable storage capacities on the continent for standalone projects include 130 MWh in Gambia, 72 MWh in Senegal, 720 MWh in Egypt and 40 MWh in Togo.

Afsia explains that several initiatives have been launched to build large-scale storage projects, connected to the grid but not directly related to any particular adjacent generation plant. This is particularly the case in South Africa with the launch of the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

Launched in 2023, the programme is now already in its third bid window and construction is now ongoing on the projects that won in the first bid window for a total of 513 MW or 2 052 MWh of battery energy storage systems.

Similar projects have also been launched in Senegal, Malawi, Botswana, Tanzania, Namibia and Mauritius, totalling more than 500 MW.

REGIONAL INTEGRATON

Afsia says the East Africa Power Pool’s (EAPP’s) move to launch a centralised energy market in 2025 will reshape the region’s energy sector, offering enhanced cross-border electricity trade, improved power reliability and higher economic growth in countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

While the centralised market offers numerous benefits, challenges such as infrastructure gaps, regulatory alignment, and political coordination remain. The EAPP is working with governments, development partners, and financial institutions to address these issues, secure funding and build the necessary infrastructure for smooth market operation.

“As East Africa moves towards regional energy integration, the market will play a crucial role in unlocking the region’s energy potential and creating a cleaner, more reliable energy system,” Afsia notes.