Malawi has commissioned its first utility scale battery energy storage system, a 20 megawatt facility designed to store solar power and stabilise electricity supply in one of Africa’s least electrified countries. According to Reuters, the battery, installed by the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) in Lilongwe, is the only utility scale battery storage system in Southern Africa outside South Africa and Namibia. The project aims to strengthen the country’s power network against climate related disruptions while supporting the integration of renewable energy into the national grid.
The battery will store electricity generated from Malawi’s growing solar sector, which currently contributes about 100 megawatts of the country’s 580 megawatt installed generation capacity. Funded by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, the project is expected to connect an additional 600,000 households to the electricity network and reduce daily power outages from around four hours to less than two. “This project is about providing the steady, high quality power that our hospitals need to save lives. It is about what our schools need to educate our children, and our businesses need to thrive,” Energy Minister Jean Mathanga said during the commissioning ceremony.
The project marks a significant milestone in Malawi’s energy transition as the country seeks to diversify its electricity mix beyond hydropower, which has been affected by climate change, prolonged drought and damage from Cyclone Freddy. For businesses and investors, improved grid reliability is expected to enhance industrial productivity, lower operating costs and encourage further investment in renewable energy infrastructure. The initiative also supports Malawi’s target of increasing electricity access from 25% of the population to 70% by 2030 while strengthening energy security and economic resilience.
Looking ahead, Malawi plans to develop three additional battery storage facilities with a combined capacity of 60 megawatts in two other cities, reinforcing its commitment to expanding renewable energy and modernising its electricity network. If successfully implemented, the projects could accelerate economic growth, improve public services and position Malawi as an emerging leader in clean energy innovation within Southern Africa.
