Page 15 - AfrElec Week 13 2022

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Renewables to

contribute 2,100MW in

Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE has unveiled an ambitious plan to with Zambia and Mozambique, respectively.
produce 2,100MW of renewable energy by 2030. Apart from hydro capacity, the country
According to a report in the government-con- has been promoting the harnessing of its solar
trolled daily The Herald, the southern African potential. Britain’s Kibo Energy earlier in March
country has set out to develop more modern announced a takeover of a planned $10mn,
and cleaner electricity sources to meet projected 100MW solar project near Victoria Falls. The
demand as it targets upper-middle income status project, previously owned by Broomfield, also
that same year. of Britain, hopes to produce 5MW by the end of
Minister of Energy and Power Development April and 20MW by the end of 2022.
Zhemu Soda told a renewable energy conference The power utility ZESA Holdings projects
in the resort city of Victoria Falls on March 25 demand for electricity will rise from the current
that public-private partnerships (PPPs) would 2,100MW to 2,370MW by year-end, 2,711MW
be prioritised in the plan to enhance the uti- by 2023, 3, 407MW in 2024 and 3, 943MW in
lisation of renewables. About $10mn that the 2025. The country is generating an average of
government has secured from the Sustainable 1,300MW.
Development Goal fund will be used towards Soda told the Victoria Falls renewable energy
achieving that goal, he said. conference that more money would be added
“My ministry’s strategic goal is to achieve to the $10mn made available by the SDF. That
and install renewable capacity of 1,100MW or would take the package up to $45mn. Speaking
16.5% of total electricity or whichever is higher at the same event, President Emmerson Mnan-
by 2025 and 2,100MW or 26% by 2030. I am gagwa said investment in renewables is no longer
glad to announce that my ministry successfully an option but expressed disappointment by the
applied for $10mn green funding from the Sus- failure of most planned renewable projects to
tainable Development Fund (SDF), which will take off.
be deployed towards capacity building and pro- “Renewable energy is no longer a matter of
ject development.” choice, but a necessity given the negative effects
According to a 2016 estimate by a local aca- of climate change,” he said. “This conference
demic, 43% of Zimbabwe’s electricity supply must result in concrete recommendations and
came from burning coal, while 57% comes from results in the way we do things in renewable
renewables, specifically hydropower systems at energy. I am disappointed that there is a long list
Lake Kariba on the Zambezi River, which forms of companies that have licences but they are not
the country’s northwestern and northern border found on the ground.”™

Week 13 31•March•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P15