African nations are turning to renewable energy as an alternative source of electricity to power their emerging economies.
While non-African renewable energy firms like Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, Norway’s Scatec, Finland’s Wärtsilä and others are making giant strides developing some of Africa’s impressive renewable energy projects, indigenous companies in Africa are putting in the work as well.
From building several hundred megawatt solar farms to the continent’s most impressive hydroelectric power dam, African companies are developing projects that power the African economy.
In this story, we present a limited list of African owned and Africa headquartered companies building mega renewable projects on the continent.
10. Red Rocket (South Africa)
Red Rocket is an independent power producer headquartered in South Africa.
The company owns and operates the 147 MW Roggeveld Wind Farm and is advancing additional large wind assets.
As of 2024, Red Rocket achieved financial close for Virginia Solar Park and Witberg Wind Farm in South Africa.
Red Rocket’s portfolio of projects in operations, under construction, and near financial close have risen to over 3.7 GW.
Some of the projects developed by the firm include the 4 MW small-hydroelectric project in South Africa, which generates about 24 GWh annually.
It also built the 10 MW Tororo Solar North photovoltaic power plant in eastern Uganda.
Another is the 81 MW Kathu Solar PV in South Africa’s Northern Cape, which produces about 180 GWh of clean energy per year.
9. North South Power (Nigeria)
North South Power is a company that was specially created for the establishment of the Shiroro Generating Company, Nigeria’s pioneer gridscale solar/hydro hybrid project.
North South Power operates Nigeria’s 600 MW Shiroro Hydropower Station.
It is also co-developing the country’s pioneering solar–hydro hybrid at Shiroro.
Phase 1 comprises a 20 MW solar plant, within a planned 300 MW solar program, in partnership with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority’s (NSIA) renewables platform.
The company also operates the 30MW Gurara Hydroelectric Power Plant which generates 115GWh of electricity annually.
8. Bui Power Authority (Ghana)
Bui Power Authority is one of Ghana’s state power utilities, specially created by the country’s parliament to own and operate the 404MW Bui Hydroelectric plant.
In addition to the hydroelectric power plant, the utility company is also the developer of Ghana’s hydro-solar hybrid plant, including a 50 MWp land-based solar farm and a 5MW floating PV installation on the Bui reservoir.
The company has also developed the Tsatsadu Micro Hydro Project, and the 250 MW Solar Project at the Bui enclave.
7. SOLA Group (South Africa)
SOLA Group is South African independent power producer that has developed more than 200MW of utility scale wheeling solar for Tronox that now injects power via Eskom’s transmission grid.
The wheeling project transmits electricity generated by Tronox to South Africa’s state power utility, Eskom Holdings, through an existing transmission network.
SOLA Group is building and operating nearly 700MW of private renewable wheeling projects, and has successfully developed 275MW of capacity under the public renewable energy program.
The company has designed and built over 100 projects across all nine provinces of South Africa, and in Namibia, Mozambique and the Seychelles.
6. Kenya Electricity Generating Company (Kenya)
Kenya Electricity Generating Company, also known as KenGen, is Kenya’s state owned generator and Africa’s geothermal heavyweight.
The company is responsible for building the 165MW Olkaria V geothermal plant and will oversee ongoing Olkaria expansions.
Some of the renewable energy projects the company developed, and is currently developing include, Seven Forks 40MW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project, raising of Masinga Hydropower Dam, Ngong Wind Farm.
KenGen’s installed renewable energy generation capacity from wind, geothermal and hydro sources total 1551.31MW.
5. Elsewedy Electric (Egypt)
At number five is the Elsewedy Electric in Egypt.
Elsewedy Electric is an Egyptian company that started as a local manufacturer of electrical products.
Over the eyars, It has grown into an integrated infrastructure solutions provider, operating in engineering, construction, digital solutions, and infrastructure investments.
Elsewedy has developed a wide range of renewable energy projects in Africa.
The utility firm has been involved in several renewable energy projects.
These include solar PV power plants in Benban Solar Park, Egypt, a 20MW solar PV park with a 35MWh battery storage system in South Sudan, and the 220MW Gabal Elzayt wind farm in Egypt.
The company also participated in the 250MW West Bakr Lekela Wind Farm Project and the 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project in Tanzania.
4. Infinity Power (Egypt)
Infinity Power is an Egyptian renewable energy company.
The firm is responsible for developing most of Egypt’s renewable energy capacity from solar and wind sources.
Some of the projects the firm has developed, and is developing, are as follows: 50 MW, 30MW, 3MW, and 50 MW solar farms in Egypt’s Benban Solar Park.
The firm is currently developing 6 solar power projects in South Africa with a total capacity of 1800MW, as well as a 10GW capacity onshore wind farm in Egypt.
3. MASEN (Morocco)
MASEN is short for Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy and it is a state agency responsible for leading renewable energy initiatives in Morocco.
The firm led the development of the 500MW Noor Ouarzazate solar complex along with ACWA Power, Sener Ingenería y Sistemas, and others.
The firm has successfully developed 686MW of solar and 100MW of wind capacity. It also has over 2443 MW Solar energy projects under development, as well as, 2500MWh battery storage and 1930 MW wind power.
2. Nareva (Morocco)
Nareva is a private renewable energy company in the Kingdom of Morocco.
Since its establishment in 2004, Nareva has been instrumental in the construction, development, and diversification of the electrical mix in Morocco.
The firm has developed several renewable energy projects.
These include the 201.6MW Aftissat 1, the 202.1MW Akhfennir 1 and 2, the 50.6MW Foum el Oued, and the 50.6MW Haouma wind farms.
Other projects are the 300MW Tarfaya wind farm and the 850MW Siemens integrated wind project.
1. Ethiopian Electric Power (Ethiopia)
Ethiopian Electric Power is Ethiopia state power utility, responsible for electricity generation and distribution across the country.
The firm has been instrumental in developing some of the continent’s most impressive renewable energy projects.
The organisation has developed the 100MW Assela Wind Farm, Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The company generates all of its electricity from renewable sources.
