As Africa accelerates its path toward industrial growth, the need for reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable energy has become increasingly critical. For mining and heavy industry in particular, power availability is no longer just an operational requirement, but a key driver of productivity and competitiveness.

Against this backdrop, Wenergy is steadily expanding its presence across Africa, delivering energy storage–centered microgrid solutions that address real-world challenges faced by industrial customers—bridging energy gaps, lowering costs, and supporting the transition to low-carbon operations.

Overcoming “Energy Island” Constraints: Smart Microgrids in Sierra Leone

Across Africa, many mining and industrial sites are located far from urban centers and remain disconnected from national grids. These “energy islands” often rely heavily on diesel generators—resulting in high operating costs, fuel supply risks, noise pollution, and carbon emissions.

In Sierra Leone, Wenergy tackles this challenge through a fully off-grid hybrid solar-storage microgrid, centered on its Stars Series industrial liquid-cooled Energy Storage System (ESS). Scheduled for deployment by December 2025, the solution integrates solar PV, battery storage, diesel backup, and mining loads under a unified Energy Management System (EMS).

By prioritizing solar generation, intelligently dispatching stored energy, and limiting diesel operation to backup scenarios, the system delivers stable, efficient, and low-carbon power tailored to the needs of remote mining operations. Its modular and scalable architecture not only reduces total energy costs but also establishes a replicable benchmark for future off-grid deployments across West Africa.

Proven Track Record Across Africa

Prior to Sierra Leone, Wenergy successfully delivered several landmark projects in Southern Africa, demonstrating the reliability, scalability, and economic viability of its solutions for high-demand applications.

Zimbabwe: Large-Scale Mining Microgrid

In Zimbabwe, Wenergy implemented a hybrid microgrid for a major lithium mining operation that previously relied on 18 diesel generators, with electricity costs reaching USD 0.44 per kWh. Although grid power was available at a lower tariff, its instability posed significant operational risks.

To address both cost and reliability challenges, Wenergy deployed an integrated solar PV + energy storage + diesel backup + grid-connected microgrid, prioritizing solar power during daytime operations and storing excess energy for nighttime use and periods of low irradiation, with diesel retained strictly as contingency.

• Phase I: 12 MWp solar PV + 3 MW / 6 MWh ESS
• Phase II: 9 MW / 18 MWh ESS

Project results:

• Estimated 80,000 kWh of daily electricity savings
• Approximately USD 3 million in annual cost savings
• Payback period under 28 months

Zambia: Metallurgical Industry Microgrid

Unreliable power supply remains a key constraint on productivity across Africa’s industrial sector. Building on its mining microgrid experience in Zimbabwe, Wenergy expanded its renewable energy solutions into Zambia’s metallurgical industry, where power quality and continuity are critical.

Project site faced weak grid infrastructure and high diesel generation costs of USD 0.30–0.50 per kWh, while metallurgical processes demanded exceptional power stability. Wenergy implemented a solar–storage–diesel hybrid microgrid coordinated by an advanced EMS capable of sub-10 millisecond source switching between solar PV, battery storage, diesel backup, and grid supply when available.

Scale: 3.45 MW PV + 7.7 MWh ESS

Key outcomes:

• Total electricity costs reduced to USD 0.15–0.25 per kWh
• More than 70% reduction in diesel dependence
• Approximately 1,200 tons of CO₂ emissions reduced annually
• 3–5 year ROI, followed by sustained long-term savings
• 24/7 reliable power for energy-intensive metallurgical processes

Looking Ahead: Enabling Industrial Decarbonization at Scale

From Zimbabwe to Zambia, and now Sierra Leone, Wenergy continues to expand its footprint across Africa through energy storage–driven microgrids that tackle real-world industrial energy challenges.

By combining industrial-grade ESS, intelligent EMS, and system integration expertise, Wenergy helps customers lower energy costs, enhance reliability, and transition to low-carbon operations, supporting both Africa’s industrial growth and global decarbonization efforts.