Energy
Solar Energy Potential for Malawi
May 27, 2019 / Grain W. P. Malunga
By Grain Wyson Phillip Malunga FIMMM Mining, Energy & Environmental Management Expert
Abstract
Malawi is a land of sunshine and areas of potential for solar energy installation span from north to south along valleys and lake shore region. Chitipa, Kasungu – Lilongwe Plain and the rift valley regions offer a lot of opportunities in investing in solar energy.
Solar energy installation is one way of improving Malawi’s energy mix to foster security of supply. Administrative procedures for obtaining licences and land need to be improved to ease the way of doing energy business. The paper provides initial data for investment decision making.
INTRODUCTION
Malawi continues to struggle to offer reliable and quality power supply. The Electricity Generation Company (Malawi) Limited (EGENCO) has an installed generation capacity of 406.6 MW out of which 335.15 MW is available. There has been a loss of about 165MW due to environmental degradation in the Shire River catchment area leading to low water levels and trash accumulation at hydro power plants.
In order to improve security of supply several solar power purchasing agreements (PPAs) with independent power producers have been signed to improve energy supply mix.
SOLAR ENERGY GENERATION
Solar Energy Generation was initially popularized by Mission Stations in rural areas. Government has installed solar systems in rural trading centres creating solar villages such as Chikweu in Machinga, Kansonga in Ntchisi, and Eswazini in Mzimba.
These targeted mostly key rural facilities such as Health Centers, Community Day Secondary Schools, and Community Halls. Solar Villages involving hybrid systems (Solar and Wind) were installed providing up to 21kW to provide power for a maximum of 150 homes. Even piped water supply systems were served by this hybrid system.
Recently the Japanese Government provided .83 MW of solar installation for electricity generation at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe. Domestic installations are now common as a solution to prolonging load shedding of up to 10 hours experienced in most towns and cities.
Commercial supply of solar power systems are now encouraged.
Success of this initiative requires solar resource mapping so that large installations can be properly located. Detailed information on direct and diffuse radiation, sunshine days and periods of cloud cover help to appropriately size the large power generation solar systems. This solar resource assessment data is essential to understand the magnitude, geographic distribution, characteristics, and variability of the solar resources.
ESCOM is able to generate about 362 MW and has the capacity to accommodate 70MW of renewable energy in its grid. Off grid supplies are also viable.
AVAILABLE SOLAR DATA
The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has recorded solar data for over 30 years using solar recording equipment.
Malawi has the most sunshine hours from April to November. The average annual sunshine hours of 7.5.
The World Bank did some solar resource mapping for Malawi between 2015 and 2018. The assessment was based on satellite-data analysis, global datasets and solar measurement at Chileka, Kasungu and Mzuzu.
There seems to be high levels of photovoltaic power potential in Chitipa, Karonga, Mzimba, Kasungu, Lilongwe, Salima, Ntcheu, Lake Chilwa area, Chikwawa and Nsanje.
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Rehabilitation:
The establishment of a stable and self-sustaining ecosystem, but not necessarily the one that existed before mining began. In many cases, complete restoration may be impossible, but successful remediation, reclamation, and rehabilitation can result in the timely establishment of a functional ecosystem.
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Remediation:
The cleanup of the contaminated area to safe levels by removing or isolating contaminants. At mine sites, remediation often consists of isolating contaminated material in pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock stockpiles with clean topsoil, and collecting and treating any contaminated mine water if necessary.
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