A 19.3 MW solar project belonging to UK-headquartered solar developer Solarcentury Africa has reached commercial operations in Namibia.
The Gerus solar PV plant, located in the Kunene region of northwestern Namibia, is only the second purpose-built merchant solar plant in Africa to trade electricity on the Southern African Power Pool, a competitive regional electricity market that connects utilities and large customers across Southern Africa.
It follows the 25 MW Mailo solar plant in Zambia, also belonging to Solarcentury Africa, which was inaugurated in July 2025. The company says work is now underway on a third purpose-built merchant project via a 34 MW phase two expansion at the Mailo site.
Electricity generated at the Gerus plant is expected to total 50.8 GWh annually, enough to power more than 14,000 Namibian homes. It will be sold by Solarcentury Trading, a member of the SAPP.
Funding for the Gerus project reached around $20 million, representing the largest UK investment in Namibia’s clean energy sector to date. It was provided by BB Energy, parent company of Solarcentury Africa.
Solarcentury Africa says it is on track to develop, own and operate more than 320 MW of fully merchant solar capacity by 2027. The company says such merchant projects “play a critical role in addressing regional energy deficits while accelerating the transition to sustainable, market‑based power solutions.”
The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has identified 1.49 GW of operational solar in Namibia, according to figures from its project database, the majority of which is located in the C&I sector. An additional 33 MW is listed as under construction.
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