Tesla’s home storage batteries take renewable energy technologies to new heights, and could be a major boon for Africa’s 600 million energy-deprived consumers.
But for off-grid communities and those at the bottom of the economic pyramid, costs may be prohibitive. With 30% electricity access across Africa, it’s little wonder Tesla’s Powerwall home-storage batteries are being touted as the next big revolution for African energy. Today, Africa needs to generate at least 250 gigawatts (GW) of capacity till 2030 to meet current demand growth for electricity. Currently, there’s only 147 GW of installed capacity in Africa, around twothirds of which is concentrated South Africa. In practical terms, Africa’s total installed capacity is comparable to how much China installs in just 24 months.
