A new solar plant in Namibia is playing a dual role by powering thousands of homes while feeding electricity into a regional market that can move energy across southern Africa.
Here's what to know
In Namibia's Kunene region, the 19.3-megawatt Gerus solar PV plant has entered commercial operation, pv magazine reported. The facility is just the second purpose-built merchant solar project in Africa to sell electricity through the Southern African Power Pool, or SAPP.
Gerus is owned by U.K.-headquartered developer Solarcentury Africa. The company expects the site to produce 50.8 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to supply more than 14,000 homes in Namibia, and said that Solarcentury Trading, a participant in the SAPP, will market that power.
Solarcentury said, according to pv magazine, that the roughly $20 million spent on Gerus represents the largest U.K.-backed investment in Namibia's clean energy sector. The funding came from BB Energy, Solarcentury Africa's parent company.
Gerus comes after Solarcentury Africa's 25 MW Mailo solar plant in Zambia, which pv magazine said was inaugurated in July 2025. The company also said a third purpose-built merchant project is moving forward through a 34 MW second-phase expansion at the Mailo site.
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More background
Gerus is set up as a merchant project, which makes it different from plants built entirely around a fixed long-term power deal. Instead, according to pv magazine, it can trade electricity into the Southern African regional market that links utilities and large customers.
That kind of setup could be especially important in a region where electricity shortages and uneven supply remain major challenges. More flexible solar generation can help direct power where it is needed most while also reducing the pollution tied to conventional energy sources.
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AFSIA's project database, as cited by pv magazine, shows that Namibia already has 1.49 GW of operating solar capacity, mostly in the commercial and industrial segment. It also lists another 33 MW under construction, suggesting the country's solar footprint is expanding.
What's being done?
Looking ahead, Solarcentury Africa said it plans to develop, own, and operate more than 320 MW of fully merchant solar capacity by 2027, pv magazine reported.
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As Solarcentury Africa put it, merchant solar projects "play a critical role in addressing regional energy deficits while accelerating the transition to sustainable, market‑based power solutions."
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