Context
The strategic framework of the project under PROENERGIA 2030, the SADC regional integration and Mozambique's international climate commitments.
CONTEXT
The Government of Mozambique has defined as a strategic vector the universalisation of access to electricity by 2030, within the framework of the National Electrification Programme (PROENERGIA), implemented by Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM). This goal is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 7 Affordable and Clean Energy, and with the country's commitments to modernising the energy system and mitigating climate change.
Despite the progress made, the national electrification rate remains below the SADC average, particularly in rural and peri urban areas. In this context, diversifying the energy matrix, with priority given to renewable sources, has become essential to guarantee universal access and sustainable, resilient development.
Regionally, SADC has been promoting greater integration of its energy systems and focusing on renewables as an engine for energy security. Mozambique stands out in this scenario as a country with export capacity and the potential to assert itself as a regional energy hub. The recent National Strategy for Energy Transition presented at COP28 enshrines renewable sources as a priority axis for national and regional development.
Internally, Mozambique has recorded significant progress in the sector. Approximately 62% of electricity generation comes from renewable sources, in particular hydro, and solar energy is gaining ground with projects such as Mocuba, Metoro, Cuamba and Tetereane. The new Electricity Law and the Renewable Energy Code, approved between 2022 and 2023, have created an attractive legal framework for private investment in the sector.
Locally, the Gaza province, where the Chibuto Solar Power Plant Project is located, presents ideal conditions for photovoltaic generation: high solar radiation (over 5 kWh/m²/dia), flat terrain, vast available land and proximity to the national grid. The project thus emerges as a concrete response to the challenges of electrification and grid stability in the south of the country.
insights Framework Factors
Exceptional year-round photovoltaic potential.
Hydro heritage reinforced by solar expansion.
Renewable Energy Code and private investment stimulus.
With an installed capacity of 95 MWac, the Chibuto Solar Power Plant will contribute decisively to:
Reinforcing national production capacity with clean and reliable energy;
Reducing dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions;
Promoting regional economic development through job creation and social inclusion;
Increasing the resilience and efficiency of the national electricity system;
And positioning Mozambique as a regional benchmark in renewable energy within the SADC context.
This project is part of a broader movement in which Mozambique assumes a leading role in the energy transition in Southern Africa, with a growing ecosystem, robust regulatory framework and increasing interest from national and international investors.
Statements from State Partners
The Chibuto Solar Power Plant represents an important milestone in implementing our national agenda for universal access to electricity by 2030. This project translates into action the Government's commitment to providing access to electricity throughout the country, with a special focus on the responsible use of our natural resources and the expansion of clean and sustainable sources.
At a time when the world is accelerating investment in resilient energy solutions, Mozambique reaffirms its potential as a regional hub, with solid policies, an attractive legal framework and structuring projects like this one. We are building the foundations of an inclusive, diversified and increasingly modern energy system that responds to the needs of the populations and contributes to economic growth and social development.
The Chibuto Solar Power Plant is a strategic project for EDM, aligned with the objectives of diversifying the national energy matrix and sustainably expanding the electricity grid.
This initiative represents more than the integration of a new generation source: it is a direct contribution to the stability, reliability and quality of energy supply in the country, especially in the southern regions. By reinforcing the presence of clean energy in the national electricity system, we are also advancing with determination towards the goal of universal access to electricity by 2030, contributing to the economic growth and social development of Mozambique.