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Business Reporter
THE Rural Electrification Fund (REF) has intensified the construction of biogas digesters across the country to complement other energy technologies aimed at providing power to all rural public institutions by 2018 in line with Zim-Asset. REF launched the biogas digester project in 2013 and the digesters are being rolled out under the National Institutional Biogas Programme.

In an interview at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair last week, Rural Electrification Agency spokesperson Johannes Nyamayedenga said to date they have built 38 biogas digesters across the country.

“We’ve intensified our biogas digester programme to complement other energy technologies such as grid and solar power projects,” he said.

“This year we’re targeting to build eight digesters per province and as long as funds are available we’ll strive to meet our target of electrifying all public institutions in rural areas by 2018 in line with the Zim-Asset. Since 2013, we’ve built 38 biogas digesters across the country.”

The rural electrification programme started in 2002. Under the rural electrification programme, 8,493 public institutions including chiefs’ homesteads, rural health centres, government extension offices, and small-scale farms, among others have been electrified.

“During the three and half months of this year, we’ve connected 118 institutions to the national grid,” he said. Nyamayedenga said public institutions are electrified on 100 percent capital subsidy.

“Individuals or villagers who would want to have electricity connected at their homesteads are encouraged to form groups and they’ll benefit a capital subsidy of 50 percent.

“Electricity connection to individuals in rural areas is quite encouraging. ‘‘However, the greatest challenge they’ve is that their disposable income is limited particularly this year owing to the adverse effects of drought that has hit the country,” he said.

Rural electrification is a potential game changer in that it will bring e-learning, e-commerce and internet access to the rural communities. Biogas is a low cost clean energy option produced from livestock manure and household organic waste.

It is accessible to all types of users for varied purposes in domestic, agricultural and industrial uses either small or large. Biogas technology promotes the recovery and use of biogas as energy by adapting waste management practices and collect the gas.