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AEW 2024: Angola’s Quilemba Solar Project to be Completed by Q4 2025-Q1 2026
The Quilemba Solar Project in Angola is anticipated to be completed by late 2025 or early 2026, as announced by Edson Pongolola, Sonangol’s Planning and Management Control Director, during a keynote address at Africa Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2024.
In his address on Sonangol’s decarbonization strategy, Pongolola highlighted Quilemba as a major step toward expanding Angola’s renewable energy footprint. “Quilemba will significantly boost Angola’s clean energy output, and the potential expansion reinforces our commitment to a sustainable energy future,” he stated.
Quilemba is being developed as a joint venture between TotalEnergies, holding a 51% share, Sonangol with 30%, and Greentech – Angola Environment Technology with 19%. Initially designed to generate 35 MW, the project also includes provisions to expand its capacity by an additional 45 MW.
Set in Lubango, Huila Province, the plant will operate under a fixed-price power purchase agreement, marking TotalEnergies' first solar investment in Angola. This project follows the Caraculo solar plant, which was launched in May 2023 as a public-private partnership with Eni and has a capacity of 25 MW.
Alongside these solar initiatives, Pongolola outlined Sonangol's wider decarbonization efforts, which include investments in green hydrogen, refinery upgrades, and advanced gas processing facilities. “Sonangol remains committed to its core operations in oil and gas, while actively integrating renewable energy to meet Africa’s evolving needs,” Pongolola remarked.