Report from Ember and Africa Tech Futures Lab says solar panel manufacturing output will reach around 3.5 GW in 2026, led by new plants in Egypt and Tanzania that are geared predominantly towards US export.
Africa’s solar panel manufacturing capacity is set to increase to quadruple this year, according to a new report from thinktank Ember.
Ember’s latest report, developed in collaboration with Africa Tech Futures Lab, says solar panel manufacturing output will quadruple as 2 GW of manufacturing plants in Egypt and around 500 MW in Tanzania come online. Panel manufacturing capacity across a further six countries – Morocco, South Africa, Algeria, Tunisia, Nigeria and Kenya – is expected to reach around 1 GW.
The report points out that data for assessing solar panel manufacturing capacity in Africa is extremely limited, with little publicly-available documentation.
Dave Jones, Ember chief analyst and co-author of the report, told pv magazine that Africa’s large-scale solar manufacturing factories in Egypt, Ethiopia and Tanzania are likely trying to keep a low profile to avoid unwanted attention from the US authorities, who are aiming to reduce solar imports into the country.
