Status of Solar Technology Implementation in the Southern African Developing Community (SADC) Region

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is facing significant energy challenges related to the access to modern energy services, and problems associated with the human health and environmental challenges of current traditional energy systems. Many existing power plants, across the region, have reached the end of their economic life and are in urgent need of replacement. SADC recognizes the existing energy challenges and will need to, among others, rapidly develop and implement renewable energy, as a matter of priority. Despite the SADC region enjoying enough solar irradiance, solar power generation has not received the much needed attention. Besides that, the SADC countries need to develop policies that will favour more participation of the independent power producers (IPPs) so that they can contribute to harness the solar energy available. For this to happen, the full range of solar energy activities in the SADC region needs to be understood by all policy makers and regulators, local and global investors, developers and project promoters in the region. Main objective of this review is to; put forward country wise information on present status and efforts done so far to implement solar technologies in SADC region. Also, discussed in detailed, various solar energy projects which are under planning and policies which will see a bigger role of solar energy in region's future energy mix.