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.

How much does storage cost in Zambia?

Zambia, between USD 500/kWh and USD 1,000/ kWh. With 3,650 kWh stored during the lifetime of the system, we can compute a cost of storage of USD 0.14/kWh and USD 0.27/kWh.

Why should German and European service providers invest in Zambia?

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.

What companies trade in electricity in Zambia?

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.

How much electricity does Zambia produce a year?

The Zambian electricity grid has ready-made energy storage infrastructure at Kariba Dam. Kariba Dam typically stores approximately 5750 GWh of electrical energy or about 30% of Zambia’s annual generation of 19,400 GWh in 2022.

What does the Electricity Act do in Zambia?

The Electricity Act regulates the generation, trans-mission, distribution and supply of electricity to enhance the security and reliability of electricity sup-ply in Zambia. It codifies the rules on tariff setting and introduces the concept of intermediary power trading, a concept that was missing from the previous regulatory framework.