A well-known restaurant chain uses chili peppers in its spicy chicken, and a Canadian company utilized these peppers to construct Malawi’s inaugural solar power facilities. Toronto-based JCM Power, in collaboration with InfraCo Africa Ltd., established the Salima solar plant, boasting a capacity of 60 megawatts, which became Malawi’s first solar plant in 2021. Following this success, Golomoti, with a five-megawatt battery, became the initial storage system of its kind for a large-scale project in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing approximately a tenth of Malawi’s grid power.
The demand for electricity in Malawi was glaringly evident, with less than 16 percent of the population having access to power as recently as 2023. Challenges impeding the arrival of solar energy in the country included the absence of regulations for solar projects, making Malawi a “frontier market,” according to Loris Andrys, JCM’s senior business developer for Africa.
Furthermore, the fluctuation of Malawian kwachas, the local currency, posed a financial challenge for JCM Power. To counter this, the company invested in community farming of African bird’s eye chili peppers near the solar panels. These peppers are then sold in U.S. dollars, primarily to Nando’s Peri-Peri, a popular chicken restaurant chain.
Africa presents a significant opportunity for solar energy due to its abundance of solar resources, particularly in regions near the equator with minimal dust and cloud cover. The International Energy Agency reports that Africa holds 60 percent of the world’s best solar resources. The continent aims to provide electricity access to 600 million people without power by 2030, aligning with the UN’s goal of universal access.
The growth of solar installations in Africa has been remarkable, with a 54 percent increase in 2025, according to the Global Solar Council. This growth encompasses rooftop systems funded by individual homeowners and utility-scale plants integrated into national grids, deemed the most cost-effective means to expand electricity access to nearly half of Africa’s population lacking it.
Foreign investment plays a crucial role in funding large-scale solar projects in Africa. While China and some European countries dominate clean energy investments on the continent, Canadian companies are also actively involved. JCM Power, supported by five development banks, including FinDev Canada, is expanding its solar projects to countries like Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Congo, and Tanzania.
In Zambia, Stardust Solar Energy, a Vancouver-based company, introduced its first franchise in Africa, collaborating with local partners to launch a 30 MW solar project. This initiative reflects the growing private investment in solar energy in more established African markets. The company aims to provide essential services, including engineering, financing, and training, while empowering local businesses through the franchise model.
However, sustainable solar development requires caution to mitigate negative impacts. Carole Brunet, a researcher specializing in the global energy transition’s social and environmental impacts, emphasizes the importance of adhering to sustainable development objectives in solar projects. She stresses the necessity of proper management to address issues such as land use, resource consumption, and employment opportunities in local communities.