Shoprite stores SA appoints Econet subsidiary to install solar

Some months ago, the Econet founder Strive Masiyiwa expressed his view that DPA, a subsidiary of the Econet group would grow to be bigger than its other sister companies notably Liquid and Econet Wireless (the telco). Looks like DPA (Distributed Power Africa) is energised to do exactly that.

Deal with Shoprite

The solar company has won the bid to install solar at three Shoprite stores in South Africa. Yes this is just 3 stores and there are other vendors that are installing solar in other Shoprite locations but this is an important foot in the door.

Shoprite is the largest retailer on the African continent. There is definitely more work from the retail giant given that they launched a whole initiative to ‘go green.’ The three locations are therefore an opportunity for DPA to prove itself and perhaps be awarded other stores and locations.

The 3 locations are Lichtenburg (North West Province), Malelane (Mpumalanga Province) and Waverly (Gauteng province).

DPA has been scoring

This is definitely not DPA’s first rodeo. They have been winning contracts with some of the largest businesses on the continent such as Total, the large energy multinational, Anglo American Corporation and Ecobank, the pan African banking group.

It is possible

Masiyiwa’s optimism for the company is probably founded on the fact that solar and renewable energy in general has become the in thing across the world. This is probably going to get even bigger after the recent report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report painted a very gloom picture and will probably result in a more rapid push to replace carbon sources of energy with renewables.

Before this report, the global solar industry was already expected to be worth more than USD223 billion by 2026. If DPA proves itself and plays its cards right it could get a lucrative slice of that pie.