Battery storage offers Africa local manufacturing opportunity

April 09, 2025

The north-west African country plans to build a 1,600 MW battery energy storage system to support its expanding renewable energy sector. The national power utility company is set to invite bids for the project, and commissioning will be done in phases starting in 2026. This was reported by a local Moroccan newspaper.

  • Battery storage is increasingly vital for renewable energy projects to balance intermittency. Many African countries, including those just starting their renewable energy journey, like Burkina Faso, South Sudan and Somalia, are integrating it with renewables projects, and some are deploying standalone systems.

  • Morocco's ambition is to achieve a 52% renewable energy share in its installed capacity by 2030. The current capacity stands at 4,375 MW, double that of ten years ago. It has giga-scale projects in the pipeline, including the 10,500 MW Xlinks project, which will be coupled with 5,000 MW of battery storage.

  • Our take: Given the rising demand for battery energy storage, could now be the time for Africa to localise battery manufacturing?… Read more (2 min)

EDF Renewables, an independent power producer (IPP), has commissioned the first self-built Main Transmission Substation (MTS) in South Africa. The infrastructure is designed to connect 1,500 MW of renewable energy to the national grid in the Northern Cape. This is a significant boost to a region that lacked grid capacity.

  • A lot of attention has previously focused on power generation, often overlooking transmission and distribution (T&D). Over the past decade, only 0.5% of total energy investments in Africa went to T&D infrastructure. This is mainly due to a lack of policies allowing private investment in these sectors.

  • South Africa recently enacted the Electricity Act, which brought numerous changes. It unbundled the electricity sector, opening it up for private investment across different areas of the industry.

  • Our take: With renewable energy sources being adopted at an accelerating pace, substantial T&D investment is not just timely, but it's the bedrock upon which further progress depends… Read more (2 min)

Salary benchmarking data in engineering, product, HR and operations leadership positions show stark salary disparities across African countries. Senior engineers earn between $71,000 and $96,000 annually, with South Africa paying the most, followed by Kenya, Nigeria, and then Egypt. The data is provided by Shortlist, a leading recruitment agency in Africa.

  • South Africa’s premium rates for senior engineering roles are 23% higher than Kenya’s and 35% higher than Egypt’s. Despite South Africa and Egypt having similar renewables market growth, economic conditions differentiate salary scales.

  • Rather than a minimum and maximum, this data set is based on a threshold rate below which good candidates are hard to find and a retention benchmark that in most cases ensures long tenure in a role.

  • Our take: This overview excludes additional benefits that some employers may offer beyond salary… Read more (2 min)

Panelists share a moment at the Women in Energy Network Africa Conference in Lusaka, Zambia

Events

🗓️ Convene with industry experts at the ESAK C&I Conference 2025 (Apr 16)

🗓️ Attend Mozambique’s biggest energy sector event (Apr 23)

🗓️ Register for the Invest in African Energy event (May 13)

Jobs

👩🏽‍💼 Become a Program Officer for Energy Regulators Association (Namibia)

👨🏻‍💻 Join Juwi as a Senior Project Development Manager (South Africa)

🛒 Lead procurement processes at Sun King (Malawi)

Various 

👔 Practical Action Africa seeks consultants/firms 

🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 Egypt and France sign five strategic agreements in renewable energy

💰 German solar firm EWIA acquires mini-grid developer SunErgy 

Seen on LinkedIn 

Jay Monga, Senior Analyst at Envint, says, “Energy management isn’t just about cost savings—it’s about sustainability, efficiency, and future-proofing businesses against rising energy demands.”