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By Sona Solar Knowledge & Solar Systems Education Team

On May 10, 2026

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INDUSTRIAL ENERGY NEWS

Cafca Unveils US$1M Solar Hub: 1.2MW Plant Commissioned to Cut Production Costs by 30%

Business Report by: Oudney Patsika | Enterprise: Cafca Limited
Investment: US$1 Million | Published: May 8, 2026

"Electricity is One of Our Four Main Cost Drivers."
Zimbabwe’s sole cable manufacturer, Cafca Limited, has officially commissioned a massive 1.2 megawatt (MW) solar plant at its Harare factory. The US$1 million investment is a strategic maneuver designed to slash the company's ZESA bill by 30% and bolster its defenses against a surge in foreign import competition.

The plant features roughly 2,000 rooftop solar panels, providing 1.16MW of power at peak production.

The move comes in direct response to SI 157 of 2024, which opened the Zimbabwean market to imported cables. By lowering factory recoveries, Cafca aims to pass the energy savings directly to the consumer, maintaining its market dominance through efficiency.

Industrial Project Deconstructed

Combating Imports: The SI 157 Response

The opening of the market to foreign competition necessitated a radical shift in Cafca's operational overhead.

Regulatory Context

Statutory Instrument 157 of 2024

Following the addition of cables to the Open General Import Licence (OGIL) schedule, Cafca faced increased pressure from foreign products. Operations executive Godfrey Mavera noted that solar energy was the key to reducing factory recoveries so the company could remain the competitive "only cable manufacturer in Zimbabwe."

Engineering Excellence: 2,000 Panels

Technical Capacity

1.16MW Peak Production

Commissioned in March 2026, the plant features a massive rooftop array designed to cover roughly 30% of Cafca's total industrial energy requirements.

The 3.5 Year Payback Period

Industrial solar is an asset class that pays for itself rapidly while offering long-term stability.

Investment Sustainability

25-Year Asset Life

Cafca expects the US$1 million investment to be fully amortized within 42 months. "A solar plant works for 25 years," Mavera explained. "From year four, we will realize the true benefits after paying off what we put into the plant." This moves energy from a liability to a fixed-cost asset.

Exporting to the National Grid

Cafca's system isn't just for self-consumption; it supports the national utility, ZESA.

ZESA Partnership

Net-Metering Framework

Sales and marketing executive Brazil Makoni confirmed that excess energy generated during peak solar hours (11am to 4pm) is exported back to the national grid. This ensures that when the factory load is low, the energy is not wasted but credited against their utility account.

The Sona Headlines Verdict

"Cafca's 1.2MW transition is a blueprint for Zimbabwean industry. In a world of rising raw material costs and import threats, energy self-sufficiency is the only path to survival."

While foreign currency and input costs remain a challenge, the move to lock in 30% of energy costs at a fixed price for 25 years provides Cafca with an unshakeable competitive edge in the cable manufacturing sector.

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