Solar power capacity and energy generation is rapidly increasing and has, over the last decade, become one of the fastest growing sources of renewable energy in the world.

As a result of technological advances, sharp declines in costs, improved policies and growing concerns over climate change, renewable energy has been placed front and centre of the public and private sectors' agendas. 

However, while the Covid-19-related economic downturn has stifled growth, leading to demand decreasing across both the private, commercial and utility sectors owing to financial uncertainty, Africa’s growing population and rapid urbanisation has meant that identifying solutions and designing systems for resilient and resource-efficient cities remains imperative.

In an October 8 statement, Messe Frankfurt South Africa MD Joshua Low emphasises the critical importance of solutions that address the current supply chain disruptions and loss of investment, which are needed to prevent delays and cancellations of projects being commissioned in Africa.

Messe Frankfurt South Africa are the organisers of Solar Power Africa, a solar and energy storage event that will be held from November 16 to 20.

Low adds that Africa’s energy deficit is caused by an ageing fleet of power plants run by utilities, which require both the public and private sectors to rethink the energy mix to meet demand.

“Despite setbacks and power constraints, many African countries have bountiful renewable energy resources – particularly in the form of solar energy, which has the potential to guarantee energy security for these countries,” he notes, adding that unlocking this potential “requires a collaborative effort” – which is where events like Solar Power Africa are prime platforms to facilitate dialogue.

Next month’s event will bring together an extensive alliance of local and internationally renowned industry leaders, stakeholders and experts, with the aim of discussing and unpacking strategies that aim to provide greater access to solar power and clean energy solutions on the continent.

The conference is aimed at all industries, both public and private, that form part of the renewable energy industry value chain. This includes installers, contractors and producers, major utility companies, energy storage experts, smart energy professionals, finance providers, industry bodies and government.

Consisting of six plenary sessions and over 12 specialised breakaway streams, Solar Power Africa will cover a range of topics including multimode and microgrid energy storage solutions, transformation within the solar and renewable energy sectors and expanding off-grid energy into Africa.

Low further explains that the global lockdown and regulations aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 have meant that the events industry has had to reinvent the way that it does conferences. 

Solar Power Africa has therefore created a virtual conferencing platform, which will be supported by a Solar Power Africa virtual marketplace – an online directory of suppliers and service providers to the industry with added functionality.

The platform will go live on November 1, and will stay open for one year, offering people listed on the platform a cost-effective way to promote their products and services to a captive audience.

Both the virtual conference and virtual marketplace platforms will be run in partnership with the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association.