NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 29 – One of China’s leading Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) firms, Dalian CDS Solar Energy Technology Co., has partnered with Hong Kong-based investment bank Treadway to speed up the rollout of solar power stations across Africa.
The partnership aims to help address Africa’s growing electricity shortage by combining manufacturing, engineering and financing expertise.
CDS Solar has delivered hundreds of solar EPC projects globally and manufactures solar trackers, systems and battery management solutions at its 100,000-square-metre facility in Dalian City, Liaoning Province.
Under the agreement, CDS Solar will handle EPC works, while construction will prioritise local employment. Engineers from CDS Solar will make up 20 per cent of the workforce, with Agilitee, appointed as technical partner, providing the remaining 80 per cent. Agilitee will also manage operations and maintenance once the plants are completed.
The partnership has already kicked off three major solar projects across Africa, secured through Treadway’s government networks. The smallest project is expected to generate $40 million aannualy for Agilitee over the next 30 years, starting in the coming months.
Building large-scale solar infrastructure is capital intensive, with a 1,000-megawatt plant costing between $900 million and $1.6 billion. To support the projects, two major Chinese banks are financing countries unable to raise the funds on their own.
One project has already received full regulatory approval, while the remaining two are expected to be cleared soon. Together, the three projects are valued at over $5 billion, with funding already secured.
The partnership highlights the growing role of international investment and expertise in meeting Africa’s energy needs, while creating thousands of local jobs and strengthening the continent’s renewable energy capacity.
