Powering through the climate crisis: the shift of the Economic Commission for Africa to smart solar in Zambia

Addis Ababa, 16 December 2025 (ECA) - The Subregional Office for Southern Africa, located in Lusaka, of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), faced a severe energy crisis in 2024 that highlighted the urgent need for climate-resilient solutions across the continent. This is the story of how a major drought pushed ECA to adopt a smart solar power system, ensuring a supply of reliable and green power to deliver its mandate.

When hydropower runs dry

Zambia relies on hydropower for approximately 80 per cent of its electricity, primarily from such major facilities as Lake Kariba and Kafue Gorge. In the 2023/24 dry season, the country experienced an intense drought driven by the El Niño phenomenon. The devastating result was a dramatic drop in water levels, which had a severe impact on power generation. At its lowest point, the output from Lake Kariba plummeted by 80 per cent, leaving urban areas, such as Lusaka, with power outages lasting up to 20 hours per day.

Cost of unreliable energy

To maintain operations and deliver its mandate during the crisis, the Subregional Office for Southern Africa had to rely almost entirely on a fossil fuel generator, which came at a high financial and environmental cost:

(a) Annual fuel use rose dramatically, from an average of 1,800 litres to an unprecedented 12,800 litres in 2024;

(b) Greenhouse gas emissions shot up from 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent to a record 34 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in one year;

(c) Noise emissions and air pollution caused by the generator were detrimental to the local environment.

The overuse of the generator ultimately led to engine failure, leaving the Subregional Office scrambling for temporary power until February 2025, when a replacement could be installed. These events underscored the vulnerability of reliance on non-renewable sources.

Investing in climate resilience: a sustainable solution

Recognizing the long-term threat of climate disasters to energy security, ECA made a strategic decision in the third quarter of 2024 to install a smart solar power and battery system. The choice was not just environmentally responsible, it was also cost-effective. Over the past 20 years, the price of solar panels has dropped by 90 per cent and that of battery storage has fallen by 75-85 per cent, making renewable energy an increasingly viable investment.

The main steps of the projects included:

(a) Fast-tracked procurement: using common procurement channels within the United Nations system helped to speed up the design, commissioning and installation processes;

(b) Roof refurbishment: the project began with the critical, environmentally friendly removal and safe disposal of asbestos roofing from the 390 square metre car park, which was carried out with expert support from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency;

(c) Solar installation: a new roof was installed, followed by the solar panels, battery pack, inverter and control board.

Green, smart and resilient power

The new smart solar power system ensures that the Subregional Office is powered by green and climate-resilient energy, meeting an estimated 90 per cent of its total demand. Power delivery is prioritized in the following sequence:

(a) Solar electricity (primary source);

(b) Batteries (backup storage);

(c) National grid (third option);

(d) Fossil fuel generator (last resort or only in emergencies).

Thanks to this project, the Subregional Office for Southern Africa now serves as a tangible example of the way in which entities of the United Nations system can successfully transition to sustainable, climate-resilient energy systems.