Solar energy production in Mozambique grew 6.4% in the first half of 2026, reaching 52,576 megawatt-hours (MWh), modestly expanding its share of the national electricity mix, according to official data cited by Lusa.
The increase follows a 4.6% contraction in solar park output in 2025, when production fell to 96,485 MWh after reaching a record 101,178 MWh in 2024. Despite the decline, the 2025 figure exceeded the government's target of 94,486 MWh, with solar energy maintaining a share of approximately 1% of total national electricity generation.
According to preliminary data from the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, the 2025 result was delivered by six main solar parks in operation across the country, complemented by several smaller off-grid systems that play an important role in supplying electricity to areas beyond the reach of the national grid. In the first half of this year, output increased by 3,153 MWh compared with the 49,422 MWh recorded in the same period of 2025.
The Mocuba Solar Plant in Zambézia province retained its position as the country's leading photovoltaic facility, generating 34,031 MWh through June — equivalent to approximately two-thirds of total national solar production. That figure represents a 7% increase year-on-year. The Tetereane Power Plant in Cuamba, Niassa province, produced 17,807 MWh, up 5.9%.
By contrast, the smaller solar systems at Mavago, Muembe, and Mecula in Niassa each produced fewer than 200 MWh and recorded output declines of between 9% and 25%. In aggregate, solar production through June reached 45% of the annual target of 116,823 MWh set for 2026, and accounted for 0.7% of the 8.06 million MWh generated nationwide.
Despite its limited weight in the electricity matrix, solar energy is embedded in the government's strategy to diversify energy sources and broaden electricity access, particularly in remote areas. Generation continues to be dominated by hydropower, which accounted for 81.3% of the total at 6.55 million MWh, while thermal output reached 1.45 million MWh, equivalent to 18%.
It is against this backdrop that Canada's JCM Power was selected in late August to develop the 30-megawatt (MW) Manje Photovoltaic Solar Plant in Tete province. The award marks the company's entry into the Mozambican market through the Renewable Energy Auctions Promotion Programme (PROLER), the country's first competitive procurement mechanism for photovoltaic solar projects.
The initiative is backed by the European Commission and the French Development Agency (AFD), and envisages the installation of around 120 MW of renewable capacity through competitive tenders. The programme dates to 2022, when pre-qualification processes were launched for the Manje plant in Tete and the Chimbunila plant in Niassa, both with a planned capacity of 30 MW, with investors required to secure financing and to design, build, operate, and maintain the facilities.
In June, the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy launched a further tender for the installation of a 30 MW solar plant in Dondo, Sofala province, re-activating PROLER and reinforcing the government's recourse to competitive processes to attract private investment. In parallel, a public consultation is under way for the Nhamatanda Solar Plant, also in Sofala, promoted by EDM in partnership with VBC, with an estimated investment of US$69 million, a capacity of 45 MW, and a footprint of approximately 160 hectares.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/24/energia-3/producao-de-energia-solar-cresceu-mais-de-6-no-primeiro-semestre/
