In a decisive move underscoring the convergence of renewable energy, hospitality and agriculture, Grid Africa led by co-founder and chief executive Norman Moyo has announced two landmark solar energy projects in Zimbabwe that signal a bold new chapter for African entrepreneurship.
In Harare, Cresta Lodge will soon become one of the capital’s first solar-powered hotels. Grid Africa has designed and signed a 600 kWp solar plant paired with 450 kWh lithium battery storage, expected to deliver approximately 950 MWh annually. This output is equivalent to powering around 500 homes a substantial offset in a city where power reliability has long been a business challenge.
For Cresta Lodge a renowned property situated on Harare’s serene outskirts and famed for its blend of business and leisure offerings, including high-profile conferences, weddings and events, this transition is more than a cost-saving measure.
It marks a strategic resilience investment, lowering operating costs while ensuring uninterrupted guest services. “Proud to announce: Cresta Lodge, Harare is going solar,” Moyo notes. “A landmark moment for Harare hospitality: one of the city’s first solar-powered hotels.”
Meanwhile in Bulawayo, Grid Africa has commenced deployment of a 350 kW solar system and 600 kWh battery at Hamara Foods’ processing plant. Hamara, a key player in Zimbabwe’s poultry industry, works with over 15,000 smallholder farmers through its outgrower program, providing training, market access, and production support.
The new solar infrastructure will not only stabilise operations but also enhance Hamara’s ability to scale, process, and distribute food products efficiently a critical link in strengthening Zimbabwe’s agri-food supply chain.
The partnership is emblematic of a broader African entrepreneurial ethos leveraging innovation to solve structural challenges in power, agriculture and food security. At the intersection of energy and agriculture, Grid Africa’s solutions demonstrate how renewable power can unlock value far beyond the grid, catalysing rural economies and empowering communities.
“At the intersection of energy and agriculture, Grid Africa is fueling sustainable growth and transforming rural livelihoods,” says Moyo. “Together, we’re building a brighter, more resilient future for Africa.”
The projects come as African markets increasingly view renewable energy not simply as an environmental commitment but as an economic imperative reducing dependency on unstable national grids, lowering carbon footprints and enabling continuous operations in sectors vital to national development.
In both hospitality and agriculture, Grid Africa’s interventions highlight a deeper truth: African entrepreneurship is not just about starting businesses; it’s about building resilient systems that serve both enterprise and society. From Harare’s hospitality corridors to Bulawayo’s poultry farms, solar power is quietly, but powerfully, shaping the future of business on the continent.
