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Top 8 Largest Solar Power Plants in Africa 2023

This list contains the 8 largest solar power plants in Africa with their capacity and the number of households they provide electricity for.

Published

1 year ago

April 20, 2023

Oluwafemi Afolayan

Top 8 Largest Solar Power Plants in Africa 2023

Africa is a continent that is so blessed with an abundance of resources, it is a sunny continent that this abundance of the sun which others may consider a curse made it possible for us for solar energy to thrive here and made it possible to discuss some of the largest solar plants in Africa. The continent which is rich in renewable energy such as solar photovoltaic (PVs) and concentrated solar power (CSP) has created the opportunity for the continent to make a move to solve the problem of electricity and provide utility-scale electricity for the majority who still lives in darkness.

In a continent where the majority of its popularity approximately over 640 million Africans have no access to energy, they continue not has got a chance to leverage its vast resources and tap into the opportunity that renewable energy gives as renewable energy is considered the future of the world mostly because of its clean nature and sustainability.

Also, aside from this list highlighting the largest solar power plants in Africa, we will also highlight why these plants are considered large and the amount of power generated from them, how many houses they can power as well as the capacity of these plants.

1. Ouarzazate Solar Power Station – Morocco

Largest solar plant in West Africa

The Ouarzazate solar power station is the largest in Africa, meanwhile, it is also called Noor Power Station, the power plant is located in the Drâa-Tafilalet region in Morocco, 10 kilometers from Ouarzazate town, in Ghessat rural council area is a solar power complex and auxiliary diesel fuel system that means it is a solar/diesel combination system known as a hybrid system which can prove to be very reliable and cost-effective given the right conditions.

Ouarzazate Solar Power Station being the largest in Africa covers approximately an area of 2,500 hectares (6,178 acres). Aside from that, it is also the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the world. Additionally, it has a capacity of 510 MW with an additional 72 MW photovoltaic system which brings it up to a sum total of 582MW.

2. De Aar Solar Power Plant – South Africa

Largest solar power plant in Africa

De Aar solar power plant is the second largest in Africa and is located in the southern part of the continent, in Mandele’s country South Africa, located in a town name “De Aar”, in Northern Cape Province, the solar power plant covers a total area of 100 hectares with about 167,580 solar (PV) panels installed. Additionally, it has a capacity of 85.26 MW to power over 19000 average South African households.

Also, in its second phase, another 90MW was added in generation capacity, after a lot of energy was wasted during the days of peak generation taking the whole project to 175MW. Although the project was commissioned in 2014, it, however, received a full Environmental Authorisation from the Department of Environmental Affairs in 2011.

3. Benban Solar Project – Egypt

The biggest solar projects in Africa

Benban Solar project is Egypt’s largest solar plant, which generate 20% of electricity from renewable resources by 2022. According to the report, the plant which is located in Benban (Aswan Governorate) in the western desert south of Cairo and 40 km northwest of Aswan is the fourth largest. Benbanhas an estimated power output of 1.8 GW from its 41 plants combined. It covers an area of about 37.2 km2 (14.4 sq mi) with all its 41 plants.

4. Ilanga Concentrated Solar Power – South Africa

Located in Karoshoek, 20km east of Upington in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, Ilanga concentrated solar power plants cover a total area of 870,000 m2 with a total output of more than 320 GW per year, with a nominal capacity of 100 MW while it looks to increase capacity to 400MW. Additionally, Ilanga plants generate power for more than 80,000 homes in South Africa with a future capacity of providing electricity to 0.1 million households in the region.

5. Kathu Solar Park – South Africa

Kathu Solar Park is the third solar plant from South Africa on this list and also the fifth largest in Africa. The solar park is located near Kathu in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Furthermore, it covers a total area of approximately, 800 hectares with a capacity of 100 MW to provide electricity to over 179,000 households in South Africa. It remains one of the biggest and largest in the region and one of the prides of South Africa.

6. KaXu Solar One – South Africa

KaXu solar one plant is also having a capacity of 100 MW and is located in the Northern Cape Region of South Africa along the town of Pofadder, Khai Ma municipality. The solar plant is also the first commercially operated solar thermal electric power plant in South Africa which delivers reliable and clean energy to more than 80,000 South African households. It was commissioned in 2015 and it covers an area of 1,100 hectares (2,718 acres) costing almost a billion dollars to construct.

7. Kalkbult Solar Power Plant – South Africa

Largest solar power plants in Africa 2023

With a capacity of 75MW solar PV power project, Kalkbult is the seventh largest solar power plant in Africa. The power plant is located in Northern Cape, South Africa. Although the construction started in 2012, it was eventually completed in 2013 costing about $264 to construct and it generates 135,000MWh of electricity and supplies enough clean energy to power 33,000 households.

8. Xina Solar One Power Station – South Africa

Making the sixth South African solar power plant on this list, Xina solar one power station which was constructed between 2014-2016 is located in Pofadder in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The Xina plant has a capacity of 100 MW while it covers an area of 850,000 square meters (210 acres) with the ability to service over 95,000 South African households. The project which cost about $880 million was commercially commissioned in 2017.