Zimpapers Logo

Prosper Ndlovu, Business Editor
ZIMBABWE is set to increase renewable energy investments in line with the global climate change mitigation measures with a target of generating 1000MW clean energy by 2025.

Given the reality of climate and its impact on economies and livelihoods in particular, global leaders are agreed that adoption of clean energy technology is an effective way of minimising negative effects.

Zimbabwe is party to the global talks on climate change under the United Nations framework and has made a commitment towards implementing policy steps at home to reduce carbon emissions that fuel atmospheric changes.

Matabeleland regional head in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Mr Peace Rugube, said Government has already put in place a programme of action and timelines to increase renewable energy investments. He told delegates during a consultative workshop on water, energy, food and environment in Bulawayo on Monday that some of the projects were already being implemented by his ministry and independent power producers.

“Zimbabwe has made commitment to cut 33 percent carbon emissions by 2030. There is therefore an urgent need to enhance and achieve this through carbon substitution initiatives to reduce emissions,” said Mr Rugube.

“Our aim is to achieve 1000MW renewable energy by 2025 excluding large hydro projects like Kariba.”

Mr Rugube said Zimbabwe was geared to improving energy generation mix with a bias towards renewable energy. This would be achieved through implementation of projects covering areas such as solar, biogas, geo-thermal and wind.

Mr Rugube said Zimbabwe has a huge potential in small hydro-projects, which could produce up to 150MW.

Already independent power producers are generating about 28MW renewable energy in the eastern highlands, he said.

Despite a suppressed electricity demand averaging 1400MW, Zimbabwe is struggling to match market expectations with all existing power stations generating an average  of1100MW compared to a combined capacity of 2000MW.

Mr Rugube said the Zimbabwe Power Company was providing 94 percent of the electricity of which 58 percent was generated through thermal technology.

The country has a shortfall of 300MW, which is being bridged through imports from South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique. The Dema diesel plant has since been stopped following severe criticism on the sustainability of such a project.

Due to the low supply of electricity in the country 61 percent of people, mainly rural, are using firewood, which has a negative effect on forests’ preservation. Coal energy constitutes eight percent, liquid fuels 18 percent with electricity only taking 13 percent of market share, according to Zimstat 2013 survey report.

Only 19 percent of the rural population has access to electricity. A Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, which is a multi-donor trust fund administered by the African Development Bank, has also been put in place under an anchor commitment of $60 million to support small – and medium-scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Africa. Elsewhere in Africa smaller clean/renewable energy projects are potentially viable from a commercial perspective.

However, there has been concerns over initial development costs that often prevent these projects from accessing the necessary financing.

Experts also believe that reliable, clean and affordable energy can contribute to strong African economies and can have a positive impact on employment opportunities across the continent.