Malawi’s households, firms and institutions that generate electricity from solar energy will now be allowed to feed excess power into the national grid under new regulations designed to boost electricity supply and encourage private sector investment.
The move follows the launch of the Net-Metering Rules and Electric Mobility Framework in Lilongwe on Wednesday, creating a regulatory pathway for consumers to sell surplus electricity to the grid and paving the way for investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
During the demonstration at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) offices in Lilongwe, Minister of Energy Jean Mathanga was shown how the institution’s solar system exports 16 kilowatts of excess electricity to the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) grid after meeting its own energy requirements.
grid means a lot to us. | Nation
Mathanga, who later presided over the launch, said private sector participation is critical to expanding electricity supply and addressing the country’s energy challenges.
“Any additional kilowatt added to the grid means a lot to us. As government, we welcome initiatives that demonstrate how other stakeholders can help expand national electricity supply,” she said.
Mathanga said nine of the 34 prosumers who qualified for the net-metering pilot phase are already generating solar electricity and feeding surplus power into the Escom grid.
She said the new rules will allow households, businesses and institutions with renewable energy installations, particularly solar systems, to connect to the national grid and export excess electricity.
Mathanga said expanding private generation must go hand in hand with investment in transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) chief executive officer Dad Chinthambi said the Electric Mobility Framework will provide guidelines for registering and licensing charging stations and electric mobility service providers.
He said the framework will also establish safety requirements and standards for managing electrical waste associated with electric mobility.
“Our responsibility as the energy regulator is to ensure that energy-related activities are conducted with a clear, transparent and predictable regulatory environment that promotes investment, protects consumers, safeguards public safety and ensures the reliability and quality of energy services,” said Chinthambi.
Under the framework, qualified households, businesses and institutions will be allowed to establish charging stations on their premises and charge customers for the service, with tariffs regulated by Mera.
Sky Energy Africa founder and managing director Schizzo Thomson, whose firm is championing EVs penetration in Malawi, said public awareness of electric vehicles remained important, citing zero import duty and lower recharging costs as some of their advantages over conventional vehicles.
The two initiatives are part of efforts to diversify electricity generation, encourage investment in renewable energy and promote electric mobility as Malawi seeks to address power supply constraints and reduce dependence on imported fuel.
Malawi’s installed electricity generation capacity stands at 564 megawatts, according to Energy Generation Company data.
