Zambia energy storage harness inspection

Can battery storage be used with solar photovoltaics in Zambia?

The Zambian regulation foresees customs duty and VAT exemptions for most equipment used in renewable energy or battery storage projects. Detailed information is provided in In this section, we discuss the opportunity of battery storage in combination with solar photovoltaics from a financial point of view.

Can a mini-grid solve energy access challenges in Zambia?

Access to reliable electricity is a fundamental driver of economic development and improved quality of life. In Zambia, as in many parts of the world, the mini-grid sector has emerged as a promising solution to address energy access challenges in remote and underserved areas.

How to address Zambia's energy access gap?

To help address Zambia’s energy access gap, decentralized energy systems, including solar mini-grids, will need to be deployed. Zambia needs to bolster investments to scale mini-grid development by creating a more enabling investment environment through transparent, predictable, simpler, and fair regulation.

What is Zambia's national energy policy?

One of the critical objectives of Zambia’s National Energy Policy of 2019 is to increase electricity access to improve the lives of Zambians. To operationalize this, it has included the development of mini-grids in the integration plan for the policy, implemented between 2020 and 2025 (The National Energy Policy, 2019).

How to set up an electricity generation plant in Zambia?

For whichever choice of energy source for electricity generation, the following are the steps to follow for setting up an electricity generation plant: Assumption is that the company is registered with the relevant government agency within Zambia e.g. Patents and Companies Registration Agency, Registrar of Societies etc.;

Why does Zambia have a low electricity access rate?

In addition to insufficient installed generation capacity and energy insecurity, Zambia has relatively low access rates. In 2021, only 46% of Zambians had access to electricity (World Bank et al., 2023). This number is disproportionately skewed towards the urban population, whose access rate is 81%.