Interview: Arif Aga, SgurrEnergy India

Africa recorded its fastest year of solar power capacity growth in 2025, with installations rising by 54% year-on-year, according to a February report by the non-profit Global Solar Council.

The Africa Market Outlook for Solar PV: 2026-2029 report’s medium-term outlook suggests the continent could install over 33GW of solar capacity by 2029 – more than six times the capacity added in 2025.

With energy demand expected to grow eight-fold by 2050 and the continent holding 60% of the world’s best solar resources, solar power paired with battery storage is understandably viewed as critical to deliver affordable, reliable power at scale in a region where almost 600 million people still lack access to electricity.

Arif Aga, director and co-founder of renewable energy engineering consultancy SgurrEnergy India, shares this sentiment.

“Africa’s renewable energy sector is expected to expand significantly, driven by rising electricity demand, declining technology costs and the need to improve energy access and reliability,” he tells ConstructAfrica.

“Unlike developed markets, many African countries are able to move directly toward renewable-based generation without large legacy fossil fuel systems. This creates opportunities for utility-scale solar and wind projects, as well as decentralised systems such as hybrid plants and microgrids. Storage integration will play an increasingly important role in enabling reliable, round-the-clock renewable supply.”

Utility-scale solar projects are already expanding across multiple regions, supported by improving investment frameworks, notes Aga.

“Hybrid systems combining solar PV with battery energy storage are also expected to increase as storage enables more reliable and dispatchable renewable energy supply. Wind energy will continue to grow in specific high-resource regions, particularly in coastal and elevated areas.

“In addition, decentralised solutions such as microgrids and hybrid systems are likely to play a major role in improving energy access in areas where grid expansion is limited. These

systems can provide reliable, locally generated electricity while reducing dependence on diesel generation.”

Having operated in Africa for more than a decade, SgurrEnergy has supported more than 6GW of renewable energy capacity across Africa and maintains a regional presence through its office in Kenya. Its portfolio includes feasibility studies, detailed engineering, owner’s engineering, construction monitoring and lender technical advisory roles.

SgurrEnergy India is based in Pune and serves as the worldwide SgurrEnergy brand’s centre of technical excellence and India-led global delivery hub. It has evolved into a globally recognised independent renewable energy consultancy expanding its capabilities across solar, wind, battery energy storage systems (BESS), hybrid and microgrid solutions, as well as substations and transmission advisory services. The brand has delivered more than 185GW of capacity across over 55 countries globally.

Most recently, in November 2025, SgurrEnergy was appointed end-to-end technical adviser for the 200MW Norbert Anku solar scheme in Ghana. The scope covers the full lifecycle of engineering consultancy, beginning with the technical feasibility study and the development of EPC technical specifications and contract documentation, followed by detailed engineering review, project execution support, project acceptance and independent photovoltaic (PV) module and balance of system (BOS) inspections. The engagement also includes capacity building and training for local teams, along with a detailed review of the power purchase agreement (PPA) to ensure practical alignment between expected energy generation, contractual performance obligations and grid behaviour.

The appointment reflects the growing transition toward independent, evidence-based technical oversight in West Africa, reinforcing the importance of engineering-driven assurance to strengthen bankability, performance reliability and investor confidence across large-scale solar programmes, SgurrEnergy said in its press release.

The company’s future pipeline activity is expected to focus on hybrid systems, BESS integration and power system studies that support grid stability and long-term renewable energy deployment, Aga says.

The director notes that grid expansion and modernisation will be essential to support higher renewables penetration on the continent, which governments seem to have realised going by the recent approvals on independent transmission projects in several countries.

“As investment frameworks mature and technical planning improves, the sector is likely to transition from capacity addition alone toward delivering dependable, system-integrated renewable power,” says Aga. “Independent engineering and technical oversight will remain critical in ensuring projects are designed and delivered to operate reliably over their full technical life.”

On lessons learnt from SgurrEnergy’s experience on renewable energy projects in Africa, Aga says the firm’s experience has demonstrated that renewable energy projects do not face fundamental engineering barriers, but their success depends heavily on early technical planning, grid readiness and delivery structure.

“Constraints are often related to transmission availability, regulatory timelines, logistics and project execution models,” he says. “EPC costs in certain markets may also be higher than global benchmarks due to reliance on imported delivery models and limited local engineering integration.

“However, significant benefits have been observed, including strong solar resource availability, increasing investor confidence and growing local technical capability. Projects delivered using local civil, mechanical and electrical contractors under independent engineering supervision have shown improved cost efficiency and delivery resilience.

“It has also been observed that separating engineering oversight from construction enables better quality control and long-term performance. These lessons continue to shape delivery models that support reliable, cost-effective renewable energy deployment across diverse African markets.”

In SgurrEnergy's global experience, greater emphasis is being placed on hybrid systems, storage integration and power system studies to maintain grid stability. These lessons continue to guide project development approaches across emerging and mature markets, says Aga. The focus has progressively shifted from simply building capacity toward ensuring reliable, efficient and sustainable performance over the full operating life of renewable assets.

Aga opines that the continued growth of renewable energy on the African continent will depend on coordinated action between governments, utilities and private sector participants.

“From a policy perspective, clear regulatory frameworks, transparent procurement processes and stable power purchase agreements are essential to build investor confidence,” he says. “Grid planning and transmission infrastructure development must be aligned with renewable capacity expansion to ensure efficient power evacuation.

“Governments can also support local industry participation by encouraging domestic manufacturing and contractor development. The private sector plays a key role by adopting delivery models that prioritise strong engineering, early grid engagement and effective project risk management.

“Independent technical advisory and engineering oversight help ensure projects are designed appropriately for local grid conditions and environmental factors. Strengthening technical planning, improving permitting efficiency and supporting local capability development will collectively enable more efficient and sustainable renewable energy deployment.”

Asked about the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on the renewable energy sector, Aga exudes optimism. “The AfCFTA is expected to play a positive role in supporting renewable energy development by improving regional integration, supply chain efficiency and market access,” he says.

“By reducing trade barriers and facilitating cross-border movement of goods and services, the AfCFTA can help lower equipment and logistics costs associated with renewable energy projects. It may also support the development of regional manufacturing hubs for solar modules, mounting structures, electrical equipment and balance-of-plant components. This could reduce dependence on imports from outside the continent and improve project cost competitiveness.

“In addition, stronger regional collaboration may support cross-border power infrastructure and regional electricity markets, enabling more efficient use of renewable resources. Over time, the AfCFTA has the potential to strengthen Africa’s renewable energy ecosystem by supporting local industry development, improving supply chain resilience and enabling more coordinated infrastructure planning.”

Photo: Arif Aga (Source: SgurrEnergy)