Malawi, a southern African country with a population of about 19 million, has one of the lowest electrification rates on the African continent. Access to electricity is still below 20%. To address this issue, several projects have been implemented to boost the country’s installed electricity generation capacity. InfraCo Africa, JCM Clean Power Development Fund (JCM), and a local developer, Matswani, recently co-developed the 60 MW Salima Solar project. The PV plant is situated 75 km east of Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, and is now delivering to Malawi’s national grid. The Golomoti solar plant is another recent addition. The plant is a 20 MWAC solar photovoltaic project coupled with a 10 MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system at Dedza, approximately 100 km southeast of Lilongwe. The Government of Malawi (GOM), IFC, Scatec, and EDF also have a binding commercial agreement to undertake the co-development of the Mpatamanga hydropower project. The agreement was signed under Malawi’s Public-Private Partnership framework. The 350 MW plant will be located on the Shire River.
Serengeti Energy, an Independent Power Producer (IPP) developing, constructing, and operating small to medium sized renewable power plants of up to 50 MW in Sub-Saharan Africa with seven operating hydro power plants in its portfolio with a capacity of 49 MW, has just announced that the energization of Nkhotakhota 1, a 21 MWAC solar photovoltaic power plant, was done on 19th February 2023. Nkhotakhota 1, the first phase of two power projects totaling approximately 38 MWAC when completed, has achieved mechanical completion while testing and commissioning is ongoing. Plans are underway to reach commercial operation date (COD) in the coming weeks. The addition of two new solar PV plants in Malawi and Sierra Leone will add a further 26 MW to Serengeti Energy’s portfolio. Serengeti Energy’s goal is to have 300 MW of capacity in operation by 2030.
The efforts of the Malawian government to meet the country’s shortfall in generation capacity against the existing demand are commendable. The 21 MW solar PV power plant will contribute to strengthening and diversifying the country’s energy mix. This is a welcome development that will help bring much-needed power to Malawi’s national grid. It is also encouraging to see that Serengeti Energy is committed to increasing sustainable energy supply to the national grid and plans to have 300 MW of capacity in operation by 2030. With these projects in place, Malawi can look forward to improved access to electricity and a brighter future for its citizens.
FAQ
Q1. How electric car batteries work?
A1. Electric car batteries are typically lithium-ion batteries that store energy and power the motor. They are recharged by plugging the car into an electric outlet or charging station.
Q2. What electric car has the longest range?
A2. The Tesla Model S has the longest range of any electric car currently on the market, with a range of up to 370 miles on a single charge.
Q3. How electric car batteries are recycled?
A3. Electric car batteries are recycled by breaking them down into their component parts and then separating out the metals, plastics, and other materials for reuse. The metals are melted down and reused in new products, while the plastics and other materials are recycled into new products.
