Portuguese group MCA has officially switched on Africa’s largest off-grid solar park, integrated with substantial battery energy storage capabilities in Angola . The newly inaugurated Luau photovoltaic park boasts a capacity of 31.85 MW, complemented by a 75.26 MWh battery energy storage system. This landmark project, developed by Angolan state-owned electricity production company PRODEL Ep and designed and built by Portuguese group MCA, significantly enhances the energy landscape in the region.
The Luau solar storage park now holds the distinction of being the largest off-grid solar park on the African continent, taking over from MCA’s Cazombo solar park, which was commissioned in late 2025. The new facility is designed to provide essential power to over 90,000 residents in its vicinity. Furthermore, the integrated battery bank ensures a consistent power supply even during nighttime hours, completely eliminating the reliance on fossil fuels, according to statements from MCA.
Strategically located in eastern Angola along the Lobito Corridor, a vital railway and logistics initiative aimed at connecting the Port of Lobito on the western coast to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to the east, the solar storage park’s positioning was a key factor in attracting considerable European investment. The largest off-grid solar park in Africa, valued at €87 million (approximately $102 million), benefited from financing structured by British Standard Chartered Bank. This was further supported by the German Export Agency, which provided a guarantee amounting to around €1 billion, reinsured by export agencies from Portugal and South Korea.
Both the Luau and Cazombo solar facilities are integral components of Angola’s broader Rural Electrification Project. This government-driven initiative is focused on deploying 46 autonomous minigrids powered by solar parks, with the overarching goal of extending energy access to more than one million individuals across 60 communes within Angola.
Manuel Couto Alves, Chairman of MCA, said, ““The completion of the Cazombo and Luau parks marks just the beginning of a structural and ambitious programme, which will continue to expand in the coming years.”
