Cairo: Egypt has risen significantly in Africa’s solar energy rankings, moving up five places to secure the second position with an installed capacity of 707 megawatts (MW) by the end of 2024. This development highlights Egypt’s commitment to expanding its renewable energy infrastructure.

According to State Information Service Egypt, South Africa leads the continent with a capacity of 1,235 MW, while Zambia follows Egypt in third place with 74.8 MW. This information comes from a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) released on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

The growth in solar power projects across Africa is expected to result in a total capacity of 40 gigawatts (GW) by 2024. Egypt and South Africa play a pivotal role in this expansion, contributing significantly to the continent’s clean energy investments. Together, they account for 78% of Africa’s total solar energy capacity.

On a global scale, solar energy capacity in 2024 is projected to account for 0.5% of total energy production. Meanwhile, Africa’s solar capacity is expected to reach 19.2 gigawatts, reflecting the continent’s increasing focus on renewable energy sources.