MASERU, March 12 -- The African Development Bank estimates that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region has a hydropower potential of about 1,080 terawatt hours per year (TWh/year), yet the actual capacity currently stands at just under 31 TWh/year. A terawatt is equal to one million megawatts (MW). This disparity highlights the significant untapped potential in renewable energy within the region, emphasising both the energy security and climate resilience goals that many SADC countries are pursuing.

There have been increasing calls to advance renewable energy projects in the region. These projects could bring economic benefits while simultaneously supporting the broader objectives of energy security and climate resilien...