How do DERs affect electricity networks, if at all?

Image: The 30MW Dekemhare Solar PV Project in Eritrea integrates BESS, a 66kV substation and grid integration components.

If not properly analysed, the growing number of DERs across Africa will affect the development patterns of electricity grids in various countries, though not necessarily in the way tradition has dictated thus far.

Africa is undergoing what the Global Solar Council (GSC) describes as a dual energy transition: a state-led expansion of grids and utility-scale projects alongside a rapidly accelerating, privately financed shift by households and firms towards distributed solar and storage.

In its Africa Market Outlook for Solar PV 2026, the GSC says its medium-term outlook suggests Africa could install over 31.5GW of solar capacity by 2029, “as distributed and utility-scale markets continue to expand in parallel across a growing number of countries”.

The Council supports Ember’s theory that the distributed energy resources (DERs) count is underestimated, as it is harder to track.

“Growth has traditionally been led by utility-scale projects, but momentum is rapidly shifting toward distributed, on-site generation across commercial, industrial, residential, mini-grid, and off-grid segments.

“Distributed solar is now growing as fast as utility-scale capacity, driven by low-cost modules, improving battery economics, and emerging local manufacturing ecosystems in countries such as … [complete the form to continue reading]