Preserve land
Generate at scale while keeping productive land available for communities, agriculture and nature.
We originate, develop and deliver floating solar at African dams and reservoirs.
The African opportunity
Existing dams can become clean-energy hubs.
Covering only a small share of selected hydropower reservoirs can unlock significant solar capacity, while preserving land and making better use of existing transmission infrastructure.
How we make it happen →Why SolarLions
One standard. Local delivery. Full-lifecycle accountability.
SolarLions brings development, engineering, modular system design, local production and long-term operations into one accountable delivery model.
01 · Technology
Designed for heat, water and long-term performance.
Risk-based component selection, module-level visibility, safe intervention and resilient system architecture.
Explore technology →02 · Modular solutionA repeatable base block, sized for the project.
A standardized electrical core for floating and ground-mounted applications. Capacity, orientation and configuration are adapted to each site.
Explore the modular approach →03 · BankabilitySeven validation gates from base block to bankable asset.
Turn a proven design into a lender-ready package through project-specific technical and commercial validation.
See our development model →Our mounting systems
Two foundations. One modular philosophy.
SolarLions develops modular substructure systems for water and land. Each system is engineered around local loads, logistics, installation methods and long-term operations.
Water applicationLand application
Floating substructure
Modular floats, walkable access and a project-specific anchoring and mooring concept for changing reservoir conditions.
Explore the floating system →Ground-mounted substructure
A repeatable mounting architecture adapted to terrain, geotechnics, wind, corrosion class and local installation capability.
Explore the ground system →Opportunity atlas · Africa
Where water infrastructure meets solar potential.
Illustrative opportunities based on public sector studies and regional benchmarks. These are not presented as SolarLions-owned projects.
Zambia · Zimbabwe
Feasibility pathway
Lake Kariba
A major hydro-solar opportunity with an African Development Bank-supported floating solar feasibility programme.
Mozambique
Development prospect
Chicamba Reservoir
A publicly identified prospect where technical, financial, environmental and grid-integration studies have been initiated.
Ghana
Regional benchmark
Bui Reservoir
An important West African reference for combining floating PV with existing hydropower and grid infrastructure.
Egypt
Strategic screening
Lake Nasser · Aswan
A vast reservoir in a high-irradiation market, suited to careful technical, environmental and transmission screening.
1%of reservoir area could, in aggregate, match Africa's current installed hydropower capacity.
2,000+kWh/m² annual solar irradiation across most of the continent.
Independent source: EU JRC →Conserve water
Partial surface coverage can help reduce evaporation and protect strategic water resources.
Use existing grids
Pair with hydropower and reservoir infrastructure to share connections and balance generation.
Improve performance
The cooling effect of water can support efficient operation in hot, high-irradiation climates.
Why floating solar
More than renewable power.
Water
Reduce exposure to evaporation
Partial surface coverage can reduce direct solar exposure and wind across the water—especially relevant for large reservoirs in hot, dry climates.
Grid
Build around existing infrastructure
Hydropower sites can offer substations, transmission lines, access roads and operational teams, reducing the need for entirely new infrastructure.
Dispatch
Combine solar with flexible hydro
Solar can supply daytime energy while water is conserved for evening demand, dry periods or grid balancing—a complementary hybrid resource.
2025 research update
Floating PV on hydropower reservoirs can reduce evaporation, preserve scarce water and add renewable generation using existing infrastructure.
Read the EU JRC research summary →From resource to revenue
Bankable paths to market.
There is no single PPA structure for floating solar. SolarLions helps shape the project around the reservoir owner, grid, offtaker and local regulatory framework.
View a proven floating-solar PPA model ↗Long-term offtake
Utility IPP · PPA
A dedicated project company finances, builds, owns and operates the floating plant. The national utility purchases the delivered electricity under a long-term PPA.
Integrated dispatch
Hydro-solar hybrid
Solar generation is coordinated with the hydropower operator: PV supplies daytime energy while hydro retains flexibility for evening peaks and dry periods.
Industrial demand
Corporate PPA
A creditworthy industrial or commercial buyer contracts renewable power directly, with physical delivery or grid wheeling where the local framework permits.
Concession + PPA
Reservoir PPP
The public reservoir or dam owner grants long-term surface rights or a concession, while the project company delivers the asset and secures the power offtake.
Indicative structures only. Final allocation of offtake, currency, curtailment, hydrology, grid and payment risk requires country-specific legal, technical and financial due diligence.
From concept to current
One partner across the entire project lifecycle.
As the project company, SolarLions connects global floating-PV expertise with local knowledge, finance, delivery capacity and long-term commitment.
Site & feasibility
Reservoir screening, bathymetry, irradiation studies, grid analysis and bankable feasibility—built around local conditions.
Engineering & delivery
Integrated design of floats, anchoring, mooring, electrical systems and grid connection with trusted regional partners.
Operations & performance
Long-term monitoring, preventive maintenance and performance optimisation for reliable generation throughout the asset life.
A grounded approach
Designed around the water—and the people who depend on it.
Every reservoir is different. We start with environmental and technical reality, engage stakeholders early and design for local weather, water levels, supply chains and skills.
- Phase 01Identify
- Phase 02Assess
- Phase 03Finance
- Phase 04Build
- Phase 05Operate
A reservoir. A grid. A shared ambition.
Let's power Africa's future.
Tell us about the site, location and energy need. We'll help you assess the opportunity.
Discuss your project ↗