JinkoSolar wants to expand its activities throughout Africa
JinkoSolar, the largest global solar panel manufacturer by shipment volume, is making plans to expand its presence in Africa, focusing on both the solar and energy storage markets.
Over the past three years, JinkoSolar has supplied 5.2 gigawatts of solar panels and 100 megawatt hours of energy storage systems to 45 African countries, accounting for 15 percent of the continent’s market share, said Qian Jing, vice president of JinkoSolar.
“The company has expanded its local presence by establishing subsidiaries in key markets such as Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa, which have ambitious and decisive energy transition goals and a relatively stable political and financial environment to have. growth goals,” Qian said.
“With vast land resources, a large population still without access to electricity and abundant solar potential, the continent has a stronger demand for renewable energy than many other regions, and its potential as a solar market is unparalleled.”
Analysts have noted that Africa offers unique opportunities for solar developers, despite challenges such as weak grid infrastructure, limited transportation networks, small project sizes and a lack of skilled labor. However, the availability of cheap solar panels makes this market ripe for development.
“Solar panels in sun-drenched North Africa produce up to three times more energy than those in Europe, and the region has plenty of room for even more solar installations,” said Nickolas Lua, solar supply chain analyst at the global consultancy Rystad Energy.
“As it stands, North Africa is responsible for a fifth of the continent’s solar energy capacity and is home to some of the world’s largest solar installations, such as the Benban solar complex in Egypt.”
Lua also highlighted South Africa as a promising market, with the rooftop solar segment alone having a potential market size of 86 GW. Businesses and households in South Africa are increasingly turning to solar energy to mitigate the impact of frequent power outages caused by grid failures.
According to Luo Zuoxian, analyst at Sinopec Economics and Development Research Institute, the growing presence of Chinese solar companies in Africa presents a significant opportunity to expand China’s renewable energy footprint while boosting its technological capabilities on the global stage. demonstrate.
“Successful implementation of the projects will not only strengthen China’s renewable energy industry, but also strengthen economic ties with African countries, promoting long-term strategic partnership,” Luo said.
JinkoSolar has taken steps to address the continent’s infrastructure challenges by exporting its products and technological expertise. In addition to providing highly efficient TOPCon solar panels tailored to tropical climates, the company offers both on-site and off-site training programs for local engineers to improve their skills in installing and maintaining solar and energy storage systems.
One of JinkoSolar’s key projects in Africa is the supply of 25 MW N-type TOPCon panels for the first solar hydrogen project at the Oshivela Green Iron factory in Namibia. This facility, which will become the first commercial green iron production site in Africa, marks a milestone in the continent’s industrial green revolution. JinkoSolar has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to secure orders for subsequent project phases, which could amount to up to 1.8 GW of capacity.
By integrating solar energy with hydrogen, JinkoSolar is helping Africa pioneer innovative clean energy solutions, increasing the region’s global competitiveness.
Looking ahead, Qian said the company plans to further expand its footprint across Africa over the next five to 10 years, deepen its involvement in local markets and explore new applications such as solar desalination.
“Our long-term vision is to lead Africa’s energy transition by driving investment, innovation and technology transfer,” she said. “We want to be a key player in Africa’s journey towards renewable energy and sustainability, leveraging our established network.”
