Malawi is switching the lights on: from 11 percent to more than a quarter of homes with power in seven years

Seven years ago, only about 11 percent of people in Malawi could turn on the lights. Today more than a quarter can, World Bank data cited by Forbes Africa shows, as the country of nearly 23 million builds toward 566 megawatts of generation from hydro and renewables. A 20-megawatt battery storage system opened at Kanengo Substation in July now lets that part of the grid run around the clock instead of shutting down daily at peak times, a 40-megawatt upgrade is planned for the Salima solar plant after a successful 10-megawatt pilot, and a new power link with Mozambique is complete and awaiting formal commissioning. Energy Minister Jean Mathanga says the ambition is to double output by 2030, with the over $1.5 billion Mpatamanga hydro project set to add 358.5 megawatts more.

SDG 7 · Affordable and clean energy — Mechanism: infrastructure build