In a move that has effectively put the islands on the map in the latest projects, Cape Verde massively boosted its wind power and battery storage, pushing renewables close to one-third of the electricity supply. These profound changes were initiated in December 2025, giving Cape Verde residents something huge to look forward to heading into 2026. There was a lot of intricacy involved in the project. Still, the primary act was to blend wind turbines with grid-scale energy storage, which in the end brought the nation’s renewable energy close to one-third of its electricity.
Cape Verde becomes a compelling renewable energy producer
Cape Verde is among the islands that are usually left out of many conversations, but if it continues to invest in projects of this magnitude, people have no choice but to speak about the island. The pivotal ceremony, which brought the world massive news, was held on 8 December 2025, signalling that Cape Verde was intent on getting to a flying start in 2026. In that meeting, the officials revealed the enhanced Cabeolica Wind Farm and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), which signifies a change in Cape Verde’s energy landscape. The Wind Farm expansion entailed adding 13.5 MW of wind generation capacity in Santiago and 26 MWh of battery storage all across multiple islands.
The Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva expressed his support for the enhancement as it is guaranteed to increase the energy security in the country. The statistical figures show that the expansion has increased renewable energy from about 20% to 30%. The president and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation, Samaila Zubairu, said the following regarding the project:
“From the early days of the Cabeolica project to this milestone inauguration, AFC’s mission has remained unwavering: to catalyse renewable energy solutions that enhance the reliability and resilience of power systems across Africa.”
It most certainly helped that the AFC was on board with the project because without its financial support, the expansion would not have materialized.
Cape Verde’s energy expansion earns the continent of Africa credit
While it might be true that only Cape Verde-based citizens are set to enjoy the benefits of the project, Cape Verde’s success has significantly elevated the entire continent of Africa. Cape Verde has installed battery energy storage systems across four islands, Santiago, Boa Vista, Sao, and Sal. The BESS is expected to reduce the obstacles that were previously preventing people from utilizing wind energy, which was already stored. Like many other projects, Cape Verde’s BESS installation is meant to reach completion in the early part of 2026, with the capacity going up as high as 30MWh.
Understanding the role played by the Africa Finance Corporation
As mentioned earlier, the AFC has made it clear that the project would not have come to fruition without its involvement. As arrogant as that might seem, it is also most probably true considering that the AFC contributed about US$60 million, which ensured efficiency in the project’s completion. One of the primary reasons why African nations do not end up completing their energy-related projects is that there is a lack of funding, and when funding is available. There are a lot of corrupt officials who fail to invest the money accordingly.
Cape Verde sets the blueprint for other islands and African countries
It is safe to say that there are a lot of eyes on Cape Verde at the moment; some are wishing the island success, while others are not. Regardless, if the project is able to achieve all the success that is predicted for it, people will have no choice but to adopt the strategies used by Cape Verde.
A huge part of Cape Verde’s overall success is the funding from the AFC, the African Development Bank, and the European Investment Bank. So far, the project has gone flawlessly, joining the select few energy-related successful projects among African countries.
