Zambia has added a massive amount of solar power to its grid, according to Energies Media.
The Chisamba solar power plant is now generating 100 megawatts of power, enough to energize up to 50,000 homes annually. Zambia had historically relied on hydroelectric power, but chronic droughts have reduced output and forced power rationing.
During the solar plant's unveiling, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema was eager to highlight its economic benefits.
"This project will enable farmers in the area to adopt irrigation farming using solar energy," said Hichilema. "It also ensures that our mining operations, which rely on stable power, can continue seamlessly."
First Quantum Minerals will tap into this new power source to enable copper mining in the region. Copper is a vital mineral in the rapidly expanding battery industry.
While that industry is key to further electrifying transportation and the grid, mining has a host of environmental risks. Leaks from tailing ponds and processing operations have plagued Zambian ecosystems, for example.
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Large-scale solar power is a vital component of decarbonizing the electrical grid. Coal and gas power are major contributors to atmospheric pollution, which in turn exacerbates destructive weather patterns such as floods, droughts, and heat waves. By displacing these dirty energy sources, it's possible to tamp down negative outcomes of those patterns, including increased agricultural, housing, and ecological costs.
While the new solar power plant is a step in the right direction, Hichilema has larger grid goals to achieve for Zambia.
"As with the 3 million target for copper production, we need 10,000 megawatts for power generation, which is 10 gigawatts. Those are the targets we should be setting for ourselves. Starting with 1,000 megawatts for this year," he said, per the Lusaka Times.
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