Expanding Access to Power: Sun King Announces Major Investment in Ethiopia

Sun King, the world’s largest off-grid solar company, is making a significant move into Ethiopia with a commitment of up to $150 million by 2030. This investment aims to reach two million households and businesses in a nation that despite possessing hydroelectric power generation capacity, still has large portions of its population without electricity access.

The announcement follows a memorandum of understanding signed with the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC). Under this agreement, Sun King will establish a local subsidiary while receiving support from government agencies to navigate regulatory processes. This expansion is part of Sun King’s broader $1.3 billion continental investment plan for 2030.

Why Ethiopia?

Ethiopia presents a unique opportunity as it can both generate and export power while simultaneously having millions without grid access. Building traditional transmission lines to remote areas is costly and time-consuming, making distributed renewable energy solutions like solar home systems more efficient alternatives.

“This agreement marks Sun King’s formal entry into one of Africa’s most significant untapped solar markets,” stated a joint release from both organizations.

The timing aligns with initiatives like the World Bank and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 program, which seeks to bring electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030 through targeted investments.

Sun King’s Growth Trajectory

Founded in 2007 as Greenlight Planet, Sun King has evolved into the leading provider of off-grid solar solutions across Africa. The company currently operates in 14 countries and offers a range of products including home solar systems, batteries, and mini-grids—often sold through flexible pay-as-you-go financing models that make clean energy accessible to lower-income communities.

With this Ethiopia investment, Sun King is strategically positioning itself within one of the continent’s last major untapped markets, addressing a critical need for affordable electricity access across Africa where nearly 600 million people currently lack grid connections.