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Midlands Reporters
KWEKWE City Council has floated tenders to embark on a bio-fuel project that will result in the production of diesel additives from the city’s waste material. Similarly Gokwe Town Council is mulling setting up a bio-gas project aimed at minimising power consumption by residents as well as countering incessant power cuts.

Kwekwe mayor, Clr Matenda Madzoke said two companies had already bidded for the projects, which will include a bio-fuel project from the city’s waste material as well as the obtaining of green natural gas from the city’s sewer treatment works, which will be used for heating and power.

“We’ve two companies that have expressed interest in coming on board and embarking on these two projects and have since gone through the tender process. If successful, the city will be able to meet some of its energy and power needs through the bio-fuel project and the green natural gas project where the sewer sludge will be used to generate electricity. If successful we would want to make this project national so that the country can benefit from this initiative,” he said.

Gokwe Town Council Secretary Melania Mandiya said plans to introduce the gas project were at an advance stage.

Mandiya said the local authority has since approached the Rural Electrification Agency for the roll out of the project while the Environmental Management Agency was still finalising the Environmental Impact Assessment.

“We’re working on introducing a bio-gas project and the groundwork for the project has already been done as we’re only waiting for the go ahead from the responsible authorities. Our town has been experiencing excessive power cuts and we’re hoping that the introduction of such a project wouldn’t only serve energy but relief residents from the power cuts,” said Mandiya.

She said they will be producing the gas from cow dung collected from surrounding villages.