Zambia solar tender sets Sub-Saharan price record

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
A project developed in Uganda under its own GET FiT programme. Source: Access Power.

The latest GET FiT tender in Zambia has awarded 120MW of capacity and set a record low price for Sub-Saharan Africa.

The tender had originally been for 100MW but was extended, owing to the quality of the received bids.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The lowest bid of 3.999 Us cents per kWh is the first under the four-cent mark. The weighted average price across all projects was 4.41 cents.

The scheme is run by Zambia’s Department of Energy and the German development bank KfW.

“What has made this such a competitive outcome is the bankable standardised transaction agreements, the effective tender implementation and the steadfast commitment of the Government of Zambia and [state power company] ZESCO,” said Marco Freitag of KFW Development Bank.

The six winning bids were awarded in pairs to three successful bidders, whittled down from 23 consortia.

  • Two Proposals of Joint Venture Building Energy & Pele Energy – Bulemu East and West–20MWac each at USDc 3.999/kWhac.
  • Two Proposals of Joint Venture Globeleq & Aurora Power Solutions – Aurora Sola One and Two – 20MWac each at USDc 4.52/kWhac.
  • Two Proposals of Joint Venture of InnoVent and CEC – Garneton North and South Solar20MWac each at USDc 4.80/kWhac.

“It is important to recognise that these tariff results represent a truly competitive outcome. Not only were developers required to find and acquire their own suitable sites and pay for shallow grid connection, but GET FiT Zambia has offered no form of grant financing, nor has it arranged for concessional finance,” said Ryan Anderson, the tender agent team leader.

Read Next

July 4, 2025
Chinese PV provider Skycorp Solar Group has announced a solar plant acquisition and development strategy following unanimous board approval.
July 4, 2025
Australian retailer AGL Energy has confirmed its acquisition of South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant (SAVPP) from Tesla.
July 3, 2025
Malaysian engineering and infrastructure giant Gamuda has expanded its presence in the Australian renewables sector by partnering with Tasmanian landowners to build a 1.2GW portfolio, which includes solar PV.
July 2, 2025
Indigenous-led renewable energy company Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC) has submitted plans for a hybrid wind and solar PV renewable energy project to the Australian government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
July 2, 2025
Robotics company Luminous has received AU$4.9 million (US$3.2 million) via Australia’s Solar ScaleUp Challenge to support deploying its ‘LUMI’ technology at utility-scale solar PV power plants.
July 1, 2025
French private equity firm Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF) has bought 117 solar PV plants, worth 116MW of total capacity in several locations in Italy.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK