Solar power is projected to overtake coal as the world’s primary energy source by the end of next year, but SA must adopt "grid-forming" technology to overcome current transmission bottlenecks and grid instability.
This is according to Kyle Zhang, solution director for Huawei Digital Power Sub-Saharan Africa, speaking on the opening day of the Solar & Storage Live Africa 2026 conference yesterday at the Gallagher Convention Centre.
Zhang noted that while photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) are confirmed as the definitive future for the region, the industry is moving from a period of simple "blackouts" to a need for "intelligent" digital energy infrastructure.
"Before the end of next year, PV will be the top generation source globally, surpassing traditional coal and thermal plants by more than 22%," Zhang said. He attributes this rapid shift to the speed of deployment, noting that solar plants can be operational within six months to a year, compared with the five to six years required for hydrogen or thermal projects.
Zhang said global renewable capacity is expected to grow three to six times by 2030.
However, he warned that SA faces specific hurdles. While the Western and Eastern Cape have high solar and wind potential, the "threading" of PV projects over the past two years has created connection challenges, forcing new projects to move towards the Free State.
To manage these transmission limits, Huawei is advocating for grid-forming technology. Unlike traditional inverters that follow the grid, grid-forming inverters act as a signal source, allowing solar and BESS to provide a constant power output similar to that of traditional thermal plants.
"With grid-forming, PV and BESS are not separate components; they are a combined signal source that can give constant output," Zhang explained.
Despite the long-term benefits, Zhang acknowledged that the industry has faced a 30% to 50% increase in raw material costs, including lithium cells, copper and PV modules, over the past six months.
Huawei is also leaning heavily into AI for predictive maintenance and "smart" operations. He revealed that for a 500MW solar plant in SA, AI is already being used to provide solar prediction and immediate data analysis.
"A battery is not just a container; it is an engine," Zhang said, adding that it needs to be monitored and tested.
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