Zambia’s sun-tracking solar panels are a first for Sub-Saharan Africa

The 34 MW Ngonye solar photovoltaic plant is the Enel Green Power’s first power plant in Zambia. The PV facility, which is located in the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone in the country’s south, is part of the World Bank Group’s Scaling Solar program. This program is being carried out by Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), which in June 2016 awarded Enel the right to develop, finance, construct, own and operate the plant. Ngonye solar plant uses tracking systems that feature solar PV panels to track the movement of the Sun during the course of the day, capturing sunlight and converting the energy into electricity. It is the only site in sub-Saharan Africa to use tracking technology developed by Convert Italia, a Rome-based company that applies photovoltaic solutions all over the world. EGP decided to enlist the services of Convert Italia because the designated land for the solar farm was not large enough to accommodate the planned infrastructure. GPS and other technology The tracking of the Sun is possible thanks to Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) connected to an Electronic Tracker Control Board (ETCB). The integrated GPS device acquires both the date and time. This information, along with astronomical clock algorithms, is sufficient to identify and properly track the Sun's position. Each single axis tracker automatically tracks the Sun's East - West movement during the day via the ETCB. A single control board follows a maximum of 10 structures with a photovoltaic energy capacity of about 97.5 kWp. The primary benefit of the tracking system is that it improves efficiency by increasing energy output as it lengthens the plant’s peak generation period above that of similar sized fixed axis plants. The Ngonye plant, which was commissioned in 2019, is a joint venture between EGP and the IDC. The operation has the capacity to supply 34 MW of energy to ZESCO, the national electricity utility, under an existing 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). EGP Zambia’s Kachinga-Wankunda Phiri says the plant is one of only two large-scale, grid-connected renewable energy facilities operating in the country. “To date, there has only been one procurement round in Zambia leading to projects achieving commercial operations – The Scaling Solar Program – which was managed by the IDC in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC),” he says. Sustainable solutions Due to the country’s lack of a long-term procurement program for renewables, EGP Zambia is focused on growing its commercial and industrial pipeline. “Our goal is to provide tailormade solutions to commercial and industrial customers that will allow them to reduce their carbon footprints, achieve their sustainability goals and facilitate business continuity by ensuring a stable energy supply,” Phiri says in conclusion.

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Zambia’s sun-tracking solar panels are a first for Sub-Saharan Africa

Zambia’s sun-tracking solar panels are a first for Sub-Saharan Africa