Chad’s installed PV capacity hits 110 MW, supplying 37% of electricity

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Chad has one of Africa’s highest solar penetration rates, a result of a small power system with just 12% electrification, as large-scale solar and storage projects gather pace around N’Djamena, even as political uncertainty over oil revenues constrains faster deployment.</span></p><p>Chad stands out in the African solar landscape. While it ranks second on the continent by PV penetration in the electricity mix, most large-scale deployment is still concentrated in projects under development rather than operating capacity.</p>
<p>Data from the Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) and the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA) show that Chad’s installed solar capacity totals 110 MW. This includes 63 MW of utility-scale installations, 1.2 MW of commercial and industrial (C&amp;I) systems, 34.7 MW of residential capacity, 11.3 MW from minigrids, and 0.15 MW from solar home systems. Solar accounts for 36.7% of electricity generation, a share that largely reflects the limited scale of the national power system, with electrification at 12%.</p>
<p>An oil producer since 2003, Chad has yet to convert hydrocarbon revenues into widespread electricity access. The government is now seeking to address the gap through large-scale energy projects. Utility-scale solar expansion is focused on N’Djamena and a small number of urban and economic centers, with around 350 MW of solar and storage projects under construction or in development.</p>
<p>The Noor Chad power plant, a 50 MW solar facility coupled with 5 MWh of storage and scheduled for commissioning in 2025, is expected to become the country’s first operational industrial-scale solar park. The project is designed to supply N’Djamena and reduce reliance on diesel-fired generation.</p>
<p>Additional projects are planned or under development, including the 36 MW Djermaya plant built by Elsewedy Electric; a 36 MW solar project with 20 MWh of storage in Klessoum developed by Release by Scatec; a 100 MW solar plant with 50 MWh of storage led by Axian Energy in N’Djamena; a 60 MW project in Gaoui developed by AMEA Power; and a further 120 MW targeted by Convalt Energy in the capital region.</p>
<p>Under the “Chad Connection 2030” plan, the government aims to raise renewables to 30% of the electricity mix by 2030. The strategy calls for 886 MW of new capacity, including 520 MW of solar. The authorities also plan to lift the electrification rate from 12% to 90% by 2030, requiring both large-scale generation and rapid deployment of decentralized systems in rural areas.</p>
<p>To attract investment, Chad has introduced tax incentives, including exemptions from customs duties on solar equipment and value-added tax exemptions for renewable energy components. The country lacks net metering or guaranteed power purchase prices, but with grid electricity costs ranging from $0.153/kWh to $0.225/kWh for residential, commercial, and industrial users, solar — particularly off-grid systems — is increasingly competitive.</p>
<p>Oil remains central to the power sector’s outlook, both as a potential funding source and a point of political tension. Much of the industry has been nationalized, and arbitration proceedings are ongoing. A stalled agreement with Savannah Energy to develop several hundred megawatts of solar and wind capacity backed by oil revenues illustrates how disputes over hydrocarbons, rather than resource availability, continue to constrain faster solar deployment in Chad.</p>