Page 12 - AfrElec Week 18 2022

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

70MW of new solar likely in

Zimbabwe in 2022

ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE has forecast that local independ- Due to aged facilities, frequent droughts and
ent power producers will commission 70MW of general low investment in generation over the
new capacity this year (2022). past decades, Zimbabwe has lacked enough elec-
Most of the projects in the southern Afri- tricity since 2007. This has encouraged compa-
can nation, said Gloria Magombo, permanent nies to invest mainly in solar plants for own use
secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power and sale to the national grid. Many individuals
Development, are being financed by private are also harnessing the sun to meet their house-
companies, insurance firms and pension funds. hold energy needs such as lighting and heating.
The investments, according to state-owned In terms of its renewable energy policy,
The Herald on Thursday (May 5) will contrib- launched in 2019, Zimbabwe targets to produce
ute to government efforts to boost renewable 1,100 MW or 16,5% of overall electricity supply
capacity to 1,100MW by 2025 and ease a power from renewable sources by 2025 and 2,100 MW
shortage that started in 2007. or 26,5% by 2030.
“It’s not yet at the scale that we want it to be, To encourage investments into renewables,
but there is traction,” said Magombo. Zimbabwe is offering incentives including duty
So far this year, a local company, Solgas and tax exemptions and prescribed asset status
Energy has launched a 5MW solar facility west to pension and insurance companies, according
of the country. Work is underway to add 10MW to the daily.
in the next few months on what will be a 50MW “We are urging investors; local and foreign
project. to take advantage of these incentives,” said
Companies such as PPC (30MW), Caledo- Magombo.
nia Mining Corporation (12,5 MW) and Harava “What we see at the moment is the participa-
(5MW) have projects that are at various stages tion of local investors and we hope this will also
of development. provide confidence to foreign investors.”™
Zimbabwe set for first utility scale

waste-to-energy facility

ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE’S Harare City Council has handed in transfer bill in purchasing power (electricity)
over the site on which a 22MW waste-to-energy from outside the country and compliment other
plant will be constructed. independent power producers,” he said.
The €304mn ($319mn) project, Zimbabwe’s The government approved the joint venture
first utility-scale waste-to-energy project, will be agreement between the local authority and Geo-
built by the German contractor Geogenix BV at genix in February. It later granted the project
Pomona dumpsite in the capital city, The Herald ‘national project’ status under which imported
reported on Thursday (April 28). components are exempt from duty.
Council official Gerald Mutumhe said the Completion schedules have not been released
investor will build, own and operate the asset but when online the project will contribute to
which it will transfer to Harare City Council diversifying the country’s energy mix, decentral-
after 30 years. ising power generation and reducing pollution
Geogenix BV country representative Dilesh in a city of 2.1mn people.
Nguwaya anticipates making a difference to the The study, “Waste Energy Potential in Zim-
power grid, especially at a time when power babwe,” published in 2016 says landfill receives
shortages have become a daily challenge. 1,000 tonnes of waste daily, out of the 1.7mn
“We hope to play our part in alleviating this solid waste produced by Zimbabwe each year.
problem. The establishment of the Pomona plant At least 57% of this waste is combustible with
will guarantee the availability of electricity, cre- a calorific value of 7-8 Mj/Kg, according to the
ate employment, boost economic growth, help Africa Energy Portal.™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 18 05•May•2022