Featured in Outlook Obscured – 03-2025

Floating an African solar solution

Solar arrays on Africa’s many large hydroelectric sites could shore up patchy grid electricity supply. Finance is difficult but possible, as demonstrated by plants such as the 250 MW Kariba Dam project in Southern Africa, backed by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). Options include utilities, big energy users, and even crowdfunding participants, as Neil Ford reports.

By

pv magazine

05 Mar 2025

The African Development Bank says co-locating floating solar and hydro is cost-effective. | Photo: Dave Proffer/Flickr

The Kariba project is by far the biggest African floating PV project to date. In December 2024, the African Development Bank (AfDB)’s Afreximbank agreed to lend $250 million to a Zimbabwean consortium, the Intensive Energy User Group (IEUG), for the first 250 MW phase of the project.Further $250 million, 250 MW stages could be added up …

This article is part of pv+

Subscribe digitally to unlock exclusive investigative reporting, expert insights, in-depth analysis, and premium background coverage. Your subscription also includes full access to the digital edition of our magazine.