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Africa’s solar and storage boom unpacked 

New insights reveal record solar imports, bold battery breakthroughs, and the technologies shaping the continent’s energy future.  

The ESI Africa Solar & Storage Volume 2025 takes a deep dive into the continent’s accelerating clean energy transformation, spotlighting how Africa’s solar adoption is breaking records and battery technologies are redefining resilience and return on investment.  

According to the latest analysis featured in the Volume, solar panel imports into Africa soared to 15GW by mid-2025, a 60% jump over the previous year. This growth is the clearest signal yet that the continent’s energy future is being rewritten.   

“Africa’s solar surge is now measurable, material, and reshaping the continent’s energy economy,” said Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl, ESI Africa’s Editor-in-Chief. “This Volume captures the pace and depth of change from new technologies to the policies and partnerships making them possible.”  

With 20 African nations setting new records for solar imports and a surge in battery storage integration, there are business opportunities for market leaders.  

The publication explores:  

• Solar panel trends: from bifacial and perovskite modules to next-gen “zombie” solar cells achieving over 30% efficiency.  

• Energy storage innovation: why lithium-ion no longer fits all project needs, and how vanadium redox flow and metal-hydrogen batteries are emerging as Africa-ready solutions.  

• End-of-life (EoL) management: strategies to recycle and upcycle solar panels and batteries, turning waste into opportunity.  

• Investment shifts: how financial institutions are backing Africa’s largest standalone battery projects and empowering business resilience.  

• Policy and collaboration: bold reforms driving smart infrastructure and sustainable financing models across the continent.  

Pombo-van Zyl extends heartfelt appreciation to the organisations that dedicated their time and resources to this timely edition, saying: “Our partners have shown genuine enthusiasm for Africa’s evolving solar and storage story. I’m truly grateful to Aberdare Cables, Absa, Aiko Solar, GE Vernova, Keetmanshoop Municipality, South African Airways, Standard Bank, WEG, and X Flo Energy for their invaluable support in bringing this publication to life.” 

From loadshedding relief to load shifting, and from rooftop solar to utility-scale breakthroughs, the Solar & Storage Volume 2025 offers a panoramic look at the most significant developments shaping Africa’s renewable energy landscape.  

Download the full Solar & Storage Volume 2025  

Gain access to data, expert insights, and project case studies shaping the solar and storage sector.