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Nqobile Bhebhe, [email protected]

UNITED Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative Mr Ayodele Odusola has stated that Zimbabwe is poised to become a significant renewable energy hub in the region through the implementation of a lithium value addition initiative.

The global energy landscape is swiftly transitioning to clean energy, marked by a comprehensive shift from toxic fossil fuels to renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and green hydrogen.
This shift towards sustainability has also accelerated the conversation around more eco-friendly storage solutions, especially lithium.

Lithium is essential in producing high energy-density rechargeable batteries, attributed to its substantial electrochemical potential. Zimbabwe has huge lithium deposits, and several lithium mines are at different stages of development across the country. There are growing calls to push harder for value addition and beneficiation so that the country derives maximum benefits from its lithium.

Lithium

To that end, Mr Odusola told Business Chronicle in a recent interview in Victoria Falls that the value addition of lithium will significantly benefit the country. Mr Odusola spoke in the context of climate change mitigation measures that can be explored. “An important climate change mitigation effort that Zimbabwe can put in place is to ensure that we put value to lithium,” he said.

“Lithium is the energy of tomorrow, and Zimbabwe is the seventh largest producer in the world and one of the best in Africa.
“If we invest heavily in such investments, we will be providing facilities to go into renewable energy and providing opportunities to adapt to electric vehicles and do a lot of storage capabilities within the country, the region, and the continent.”

Mr Odusola said UNDP, in collaboration with other stakeholders, has to date installed 13,6 megawatt solar systems, which account for about 36 percent of the independent power production.

Mr Ayodele Odusola

“We have worked with the Ministry of Health and Child Care under the Solar for Health (SH4F) initiative, and there is a kind of partnership between the Government, UNDP, and the Global Fund across the world.

“Zimbabwe seems to be the largest beneficiary in terms of the Solar for Health initiative on the continent.
“We have been able to provide solar to 1 053 clinics across the country.

“We have also done several mini-grids with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, particularly the 120-kilowatt solar system in Dete and the 200-kilowatt solar system in Hakwata, which will be launched next month.”

He noted that 447 solarised boreholes have been sunk for health facilities, home solar systems, and bio-digest systems. The various projects account for 13,6 megawatt solar systems, which account for about 36 percent of the independent power production, he noted.