Malawi has switched on its first utility-scale battery energy storage system, marking an important step in the country’s effort to improve electricity reliability and expand renewable energy.

The 20-megawatt battery facility is expected to store excess solar power and supply electricity when demand rises or renewable generation falls.

The project, commissioned in the capital, Lilongwe, is the first utility-scale battery storage system of its kind in southern Africa outside South Africa and Namibia.

It comes as Malawi works to reduce power shortages and build a more reliable electricity network for homes and businesses.

The battery system also arrives at a critical time for the country’s energy sector.

Malawi depends heavily on hydropower, but lower water levels linked to a strong El Niño weather pattern are expected to reduce electricity generation from the Shire River, the nation’s main source of hydroelectric power.

Only about 25% of Malawians currently have access to electricity. The government aims to increase that figure to 70% by 2030 through investments in renewable energy, grid expansion and new power infrastructure.

Battery project aims to reduce blackouts

Malawi has an installed electricity generation capacity of about 580 megawatts, with solar contributing roughly 100 megawatts.

Hydropower supplies nearly two-thirds of the country’s electricity, but the network remains vulnerable after Cyclone Freddy damaged key facilities in 2023.

Energy Minister Jean Mathanga said the battery project will help provide more dependable electricity for essential services and businesses.

“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,” she said during the commissioning ceremony in Lilongwe.

More storage projects planned

The first battery facility was funded by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet.

Malawi plans to build three additional battery storage plants with a combined capacity of 60 megawatts in two other cities as it expands its renewable energy network.

ESCOM Chief Operations Officer Sinosi Maliyano said the battery system is expected to connect about 600,000 additional households while cutting average power outages from around four hours to less than two hours.

The additional storage capacity will also help balance electricity supply as more solar projects come online.

Reliable power seen as key to economic growth

For many small business owners, more reliable electricity could make a significant difference.

“Adrian Masoambeta, a 43-year-old welding shop owner, said frequent blackouts have hurt his income and made it difficult to support his family.

‘I am struggling to pay for my children’s college fees because my welding business can’t sustain us due to frequent blackouts,’ he said. ‘We hope they are serious with these batteries.’”

The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) is the country’s state-owned electricity utility responsible for power transmission, distribution and system operations.

The utility is leading efforts to modernize the national grid, improve electricity reliability and support the government’s goal of raising electricity access to 70% by 2030.

Malawi’s latest investment highlights the growing role of battery storage in Africa’s energy transition.

As more renewable energy projects are added to the grid, energy storage is expected to play a larger role in reducing outages, improving grid stability and delivering more reliable electricity to households and businesses.