Sun-Powered Future

Zambia’s Energy Ministry goes green with rooftop installation at its headquarters, setting the pace for clean energy adoption across government institutions.

By Francis Maingaila 

Lusaka, Zambia24 - (27-06-2025) - The Ministry of Energy has officially commissioned a 121.8-kilowatt rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system at its headquarters in Lusaka, marking a major step in the government’s clean energy transition.

Energy Minister Makozo Chikote, who presided over the commissioning, described the solar project as a model of how public institutions can lead by example in reducing electricity costs while protecting the environment.

“This gives me confidence and hope that Zambia is moving in the right direction,” he said. “We are no longer just talking—we are acting. This is a demonstration of what is possible when government takes the lead.”

Chikote called on other ministries to emulate the initiative and announced that he would instruct his Permanent Secretary to encourage replication across all government departments. 

He added that adopting such technologies was key not only to cutting electricity bills but also to ensuring the country’s energy resilience.

He warned that poor energy decisions could cripple the economy and emphasized that sectors such as agriculture, mining, and manufacturing depend on a stable power supply.

“We must shift from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation supported by solar energy,” Chikote said. “If we are to secure our food and our economy, clean energy is the way forward.”

The system was supplied and installed by Smart Energy, a Zambian energy company. Its Chief Executive Officer, John Kampela, said the project was completed in under a month and is capable of exporting electricity to the national grid.

“This system has a capacity of 122 kilowatt-peak (kWp), while the building consumes only about 16 to 20 kilowatts on average,” Kampela said. 

“That means we’re producing more than we consume.”

He explained that when ZESCO power is available, the excess power generated by the system is fed into the national grid through the ministry’s connection point. 

However, during ZESCO outages, the surplus is lost unless battery storage is added in the future.

The system’s PV inverters have a combined capacity of 108 kilowatts, and the exportable power could reach up to 60 kilowatts during peak production. 

Kampela also noted that, based on current output, the system can generate between 25 and 35 kilometers worth of grid-distance energy daily — translating into roughly 85 kilowatt-hours per day that can support other users.

Kampela praised the Ministry of Energy for its vision and urged other public and private institutions to consider similar investments.

“If replicated on a larger scale, these solar systems could significantly reduce Zambia’s power shortage,” he said. 

“This might seem like a small contribution, but when multiplied across government and the private sector, it can truly transform the energy landscape.”

He added that Smart Energy’s mission is to promote sustainable energy solutions that support both national development and climate resilience.

The commissioning of the rooftop solar system comes as Zambia continues to face an energy supply challenge exacerbated by climate change, rising demand, and limited investment in generation capacity.

 Government hopes that decentralized renewable energy projects like this one will ease pressure on the grid and accelerate the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.