Zambia Island New Energy Storage Industry Chain

For German and European service providers active in the energy sector, Zambia presents significant potential for business development. There are clear needs across the solar energy and storage value chain, including pro-ject development and financing, equipment manufacturing, system inte-gration and contracting.

Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility. (2022). Customs Handbook for Solar PV Products in Zambia. Bloomberg New Energy Finance. (2022, December 6). Lithium-ion Battery Pack Prices Rise for First Time to an Average of $151/kWh.

The manufacturing sector accounts for nearly 8% of the GDP. It has been consistently growing due to sustained investments in the sector and a general improvement in the business environment. The 2020 Labour Force Survey states that the manufacturing sector accounts for 27% of formal employment in Zambia.

The Zambian government has set a target to increase its installed solar and wind capacity to 600 MW by 2030. However, the current installed capacity for solar photovoltaics is only 90 MWp, indicating significant underutilisation of Zambia's potential in the renewable energy sector.

Private companies also trade in electricity in Zambia. The largest of these, Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (CEC), buys electricity primarily from ZESCO and sells it to the various mines in the Copperbelt Province. It also operates its own generators, most of which run on fossil fuels.

The Kariba North Bank Hydro Power Station operated by ZESCO on the Zambian side has an installed capacity of 1,080 MW. The Kariba South Bank Hydro Power Station is operated by Zimbabwe and has an installed capacity of 1,050 MW. Private companies also trade in electricity in Zambia.