Against the backdrop of accelerating global energy green transformation and the African continent's efforts to overcome power shortages, a milestone energy cooperation has begun in southern Africa.

On January 28, 2026, photovoltaic giant LONGi and its partner Sino Green Technology officially signed a memorandum of understanding with the Zambian government to jointly develop a solar energy project with a total installed capacity of 1GW across the country. At the signing ceremony, Arnold Simwaba, Executive Secretary in charge of electricity affairs at the Zambian Ministry of Energy, and James Jin, President of LONGi Middle East and North Africa, signed on behalf of both parties, marking a crucial step in Zambia's energy transformation.

Embark on the journey of green development

This collaboration is not accidental. As early as 2025, the visit of Zambian President Hakkende Hicklema to China made deepening cooperation in renewable energy a key focus of economic and trade exchanges between the two countries, laying a solid foundation of political mutual trust for signing the agreement. In recent years, African countries have actively introduced policies to promote energy transformation. The African Union has successively issued planning documents such as the "African Green Energy Initiative" and the "African Energy Partnership Plan" to encourage the use of renewable resources for power generation. In this context, Zambia is also actively seeking diversification of its energy structure. James Jin disclosed that Zambia will import approximately 500MW of photovoltaic modules nationwide by 2025, of which 300MW will come from LONGi Green Energy, accounting for 60%. LONGi, with its technological strength and brand reputation, has become an ideal partner for Zambia's energy transformation. The signing of this 1GW agreement is not only a recognition of past achievements, but also an expectation for future cooperation.

According to the agreement, the project will use a 100MW photovoltaic power station as the first pilot, located in the Itezhi Tezhi area, with a planned start date of April 2026 and a construction period of 8 to 10 months. This recognition demonstrates the efficient execution ability of both parties. James Jin highly praised the pragmatic attitude of the Zambian government in project approval and promotion, and promised LONGi and Sino Green to spare no effort to ensure that the overall target of 1GW is achieved on schedule with quality and quantity. The successful implementation of the pilot project will accumulate valuable experience for subsequent large-scale development and help Zambia gradually build a stable and diversified energy supply system.

Building an Energy Security System

Zambia has long relied on hydroelectric power, which once accounted for over 80%, but in recent years, it has been plagued by drought caused by El Ni ñ o, and severe power shortages have dragged down the mining and manufacturing industries. The introduction of a 1GW photovoltaic project is a "life-saving straw" for Zambia to break away from its reliance on single hydropower and build a diversified energy structure. For LONGi and Sino Green, this is not only an equipment sales order, but also an important opportunity to assist Zambia in establishing standards for the construction and management of photovoltaic power plants. By participating in the entire process, Chinese enterprises have achieved a transformation from selling products to exporting technical standards and solutions, providing an example for Chinese photovoltaic enterprises to establish a moat around the world. Keywords: new energy projects, photovoltaics

The cooperation between LONGi and the Zambian government this time is a strategic move that conforms to the global energy transition trend and meets the development needs of Africa. It will not only bring stable power supply to Zambia and promote its sustainable economic development, but also inject new impetus for Chinese photovoltaic enterprises to expand overseas markets and enhance international influence, becoming another classic case in the field of China Africa energy cooperation.Editor/Cheng Liting