Industry leaders convened at the Enlit Africa conference in Cape Town to confront a significant paradox: a continent with immense solar resources that still sees 600 million people without electricity access. The discussions centered on transforming this vast potential into tangible energy solutions that can foster economic growth, create jobs, and improve lives across Africa.
The scale of the current gap was starkly illustrated by Rethabile Melamu, CEO of SAPVIA. She pointed out that of the 550GW of solar capacity installed globally in 2023, a mere 5GW was on the African continent. This highlights a critical need to accelerate solar deployment to address energy poverty and unlock development opportunities.
Wido Schnabel of Canadian Solar championed solar as a “democratic power source” perfectly suited for Africa’s needs. He credited South Africa’s REIPPP program for driving down costs to the point of grid parity in 2014, which has spurred significant growth in embedded generation. Arguing that leaving rooftops bare constitutes a “financial waste,” Schnabel proposed an ambitious plan to install one million modular solar roofs in South African townships, a move that could be accelerated with subsidies. This sentiment was echoed by Melamu, who described how even small-scale solar PV systems have already transformed disadvantaged communities by providing essential electricity for appliances and communication.
However, realizing this vision on a continental scale depends on overcoming the critical bottleneck of grid infrastructure. Ralf Blumenthal, head of Siemens grid software for the Middle East and Africa, warned that approximately 7,000 GW of renewable energy is currently stranded worldwide due to inadequate grid access. He urged for a tenfold increase in Africa’s renewable capacity by 2030, a goal that requires rapid modernization. Integrating new technologies like microgrids and energy storage complicates grid management, necessitating efficient planning, advanced software to manage more photovoltaic (PV) systems, and effective interconnection between Africa’s various grids.
The potential of hybrid energy projects emerged as a powerful solution. Schnabel cited a Rethink X model suggesting South Africa could achieve a fully renewable grid using 80GW of solar, 50GW of wind, and 30GW of storage. A real-world example is the Oya project, Africa’s largest hybrid renewable installation. Combining 155MW of solar, 86.4MW of wind, and 242MWh of battery storage, Oya demonstrates that renewable sources can provide reliable, dispatchable baseload power.
Fostering more initiatives like Oya requires agile and stable government policies. Yunus Hoosen from the South African Department of Trade and Industry highlighted how regulatory changes, such as lifting caps on private generation and enabling energy trading, are already fueling a solar revolution in the country. He also emphasized the importance of industrialization, suggesting Africa can create immense value during its energy transition by processing its own minerals and building intracontinental partnerships to boost economic growth. This strategy, combined with Africa’s large pool of trained workers, presents an enormous opportunity for regional employment.
The dialogue at Enlit Africa made it clear that with ambitious proposals and strategic investments, the continent is poised to move from a region of solar potential to a leader in sustainable energy, driving prosperity and well-being for millions.
Panellists Explore Optimizing Africa’s Solar Potential at Enlit Africa
- [PDF] MAY 2025
- Enlit Africa | Enlit Africa | Energy | VUKA Group
- Programme Embed Test | Enlit Africa | Energy – VUKA Group
- Too few women managing Africa’s clean energy … – Enlit World
