Globeleq is planning to develop a 250-megawatt solar and battery hybrid power project in Zambia, with completion targeted for 2029.
- Globeleq plans to build a 250-megawatt solar and battery hybrid power project in Zambia, aiming for completion in 2029.
- The project includes a 150-megawatt battery system that can provide up to four hours of storage.
- This move follows the global trend of pairing renewables with battery storage to stabilize power supply and meet increased demand.
- Zambia, which depends heavily on hydropower, faces power instability due to climate risks like drought.
Globeleq is planning to develop a 250-megawatt solar and battery hybrid power project in Zambia, with completion targeted for 2029.
The project will include a battery system capable of delivering up to four hours of storage, with a capacity of 150 megawatts, according to a company statement. Backed by British International Investment and Norfund, Globeleq aims to reach financial close by December, with construction expected to take about two years, Bloomberg reported.
The move reflects a growing global trend toward pairing renewable energy with battery storage, as declining costs make hybrid systems more viable. Such projects are increasingly used to stabilise power supply from solar and wind sources and to meet rising demand from energy-intensive sectors like data centres.
Zambia generates more than 80% of its electricity from hydropower, leaving it vulnerable to climate shocks such as droughts that can significantly reduce output.
The new Leopard Hill project, located about 25 kilometres southeast of the capital, Lusaka, is expected to supply electricity to roughly 150,000 households.
Globeleq also holds a 51% stake in Lunsemfwa Hydro Power Company, which provides access to the Southern African Power Pool, and owns the 56-megawatt Kafue Solar project.
New Zambia–Tanzania Power Link Planned
Unstable power supply has long constrained Zambia’s economic development, particularly in energy-intensive sectors such as mining.
Business Insider Africa earlier reported that a Zambian energy trader is planning to invest $100 million in a high-voltage transmission line linking Zambia to Tanzania. The project would mark the first direct electricity connection between the two countries and provide an alternative power source for Zambia’s energy-intensive copper mining industry.
Kanona Power said the line could be completed within a year, potentially coming online ahead of a larger World Bank-backed regional transmission project aimed at linking power grids from Cape Town to Cairo.
