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Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Reporter

GOVERNMENT will soon announce incentives for the use of electric cars and is preparing to set up and install the necessary infrastructure in the country’s service stations and along highways by the end of the year, a Cabinet Minister has said.

The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Advocate Fortune Chasi, said Government is also working on introducing a number of solar projects including putting all the country’s airports under solar power as the country moves to migrate to alterative and sustainable energy.

The Minister said Government was seized with the process of introducing clean energy in the country and was following global trends of adopting solar energy.

He said the country’s international airports would soon be powered by solar energy.

“Service stations are to go solar and to include solar charging ports. We will start with government service stations – Petro trade and Genesis”, said the Minister on his official micro blogging site Twitter account.

“Efforts are afoot to place all airports on solar. No stopping now (on renewable energy)”. 

Adv Chasi said Government was planning to quickly set up infrastructure for electric cars in the country and his Ministry would incentivise the project to get more people on board. 

“Government supports the introduction of electric cars. As such, the necessary incentives will be announced soon and the infrastructure installed at service stations and along the highways,” he said. 

Sustainable and renewable energy adoption is part of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme which government has embarked on to deliver vision 2030. Recently, Adv Chasi called on the private sector to invest in renewable energy and collaborate with Government to offset the power deficit in the country. 

He said the constrained supplies of electricity being experienced across the country were clear opportunities for the private sector to exploit.

The Minister said a lot of gaps are available in the country which could be filled by renewable and bio-fuels. “Some of these gaps are set to be addressed in the draft of the national renewable energy and bio-fuels policies. The key provisions in these policies are to have a strong institutional and regulatory framework for promoting uptake of renewable energy and to reduce project development timelines by addressing the risks and simplifying approval,” said Adv Chasi.

He said the country is blessed with more than enough renewable energy resources, which are yet to be fully utilised. According to Zimstats, only 48 percent of the country’s population is connected to the national grid, with 86 percent of urban households being connected while only 28 percent of rural dwellers are connected.  – @andile_tshuma