The Africa Solar Industry Association will join African Energy Week 2023 as the Official Solar Partner, demonstrating its commitment to deploying renewable energy solutions across the continent.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) is delighted to announce a strategic partnership with the Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) for African Energy Week (AEW) 2023, scheduled for October 16–20 in Cape Town. AFSIA will join AEW 2023 as the Official Solar Partner, demonstrating a shared commitment to advancing solar energy development across the African continent.

In its pursuit of sustainable energy solutions, Africa has been at the forefront of harnessing its solar resources. Solar adoption on the continent is rapidly spreading beyond traditional "hotspots" like South Africa, Morocco and Egypt, supported by dedicated renewable legislation, a rise in sustainable investing and declining costs of solar technologies. In 2022, 30 African nations installed over 1 MW of solar power, with 16 surpassing 10 MW and two exceeding 100 MW. Notably, Angola led solar installations with 284 MW. In terms of projects under development, 49 African countries are working on at least 1 MW of solar, while 29 are planning projects exceeding 100 MW. This trend promises cleaner energy access and associated economic growth across the continent. As such, AFSIA is dedicated to harnessing Africa’s solar potential through the promotion of both grid-connected and off-grid/micro-grid solar projects and home systems.   

Headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, AFSIA serves as the leading association for solar professionals in Africa, with a footprint extending from Egypt to South Africa. Through its extensive network, AFSIA provides valuable networking opportunities for solar professionals, ensuring access to critical information and fostering connections essential to expanding businesses and strengthening the solar industry across Africa.

By providing access to market intelligence and other resources, AFSIA helps professionals and businesses keep apprised of latest advancements in solar technology, relevant regulatory changes and key industry trends. This, in turn, empowers local companies and technicians to enhance their capabilities, forge new partnerships, build technical expertise in solar solutions and contribute to the overall growth of the African solar industry. Additionally, AFSIA's broad and unified coverage promotes regional integration and collaboration within the industry, facilitating the development of cross-border projects and pooling resources to tackle the energy insecurity faced by African nations.

As the Official Solar Partner for AEW 2023, AFSIA will play a pivotal role in promoting investment in and deployment of solar energy across Africa, from large-scale, grid-connected projects to off-grid solar home systems, hybrid solutions that incorporate storage and diesel, as well as solar water pumping, solar stoves and solar water heaters.

“AFSIA’s involvement at AEW 2023 marks a significant step towards achieving a shared vision of a sustainable energy future for Africa. Together, we will work tirelessly to empower the African solar industry, advocate for clean and sustainable energy solutions, and create opportunities for businesses to thrive in the ever-growing solar sector,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

The Chamber’s partnership with AFSIA demonstrates the potential of solar power to be a catalyst for the continent’s progress, economic development and energy security. At AEW 2023, AFSIA will foster collaboration and welcome participants, industry leaders and stakeholders from around the world to Cape Town this October to showcase and explore Africa’s solar power resources, key projects and major players.

AEW is the AEC’s annual conference, exhibition and networking event. AEW 2023 will unite African energy policymakers and stakeholders with global investors to discuss and maximize opportunities within the continent’s entire energy value chain. For more information about AEW 2023, click here.

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