The Sunday Mail
Tawanda Musarurwa
Senior Business Reporter
For a country blessed with plenty of sunlight but blighted with constrained electricity supply, Zimbabwe’s utilisation of renewable energy – solar in particular – leaves a lot to be desired.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has licensed over 15 independent power producers (IPPs) to implement renewable energy projects, but only a few have implemented such projects.
The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) has since tendered its applications to ZERA, seeking licences to construct solar power plants in Gwanda, Matobo and Munyati.
This might ease the country’s energy woes.
The country has a daily electricity deficit of between 300 megawatts (MW) and 600MW; and figures are set to increase if more companies resume operations.
ZERA confirmed the development in a notice last week, saying the three proposed solar plants would each generate about 100 megawatts (MW), feeding an additional 300MW into the national grid.
“Construction of Gwanda solar photovoltaic power plant will also involve the construction of a 15-kilometre 132kV line from the solar plant to the existing Gwanda 132kV substation; a 132kV line bay at the new Gwanda solar plant site; a 132kV line bay at the existing Gwanda 132kV substation, a 20-varb fast response reactor at Gwanda 132kV substation and substation ancillary equipment,” ZERA confirmed.
This is part of a broader initiative by the Government to boost solar energy usage in the country.
In September 2016, the Government launched a solar energy campaign, which is targeted to reduce residential power usage by 40 percent.
Such a move will help divert electricity to companies and industries that need constant power supplies to drive economic growth.
But some private firms are going a step further.
For instance, Econet Africa Group’s renewable energy-focused subsidiary, Distributed Power Africa (DPA), has entered the Zimbabwean renewable energy space by offering solar energy installations for corporates at zero start-up cost.
DPA is currently offering solar solutions to businesses and corporations.
The company says it has also been pitching to local property developers and will extend the offer to individuals.
“We are structured on a lease financing basis where the customer does not have to pay any upfront costs for installation.
“So they pay us as if they are paying the normal electricity rates on a lease basis over a period of 10 years plus.
“We want to make going solar a zero risk investment decision.
“Implementing solar is a long-term investment and with our mature operational structure, we make sure that you maximise your investment.”
But can solar really power a business?
The answer, according to the experts, is a ‘‘yes’’.
DPA engineers say: “Solar generation normally peaks around mid-day when the sun is at its highest, and our value engineering process will make sure we get as close as possible to supplying all of your power during the day.”
The firm, which operates under Econet Group’s New Enterprises division, is also eying markets in Kenya, Zambia and Botswana.
Africa, and indeed Zimbabwe, is endowed with substantial renewable energy resources.
However, the successful implementation of renewable energy technologies (RETs) will require complementary institutional framework and infrastructure, adequate RET planning policies, removal of pricing distortions, which have placed renewable energy at a disadvantage, as well as removal or reduction of high initial capital costs and an increase in skilled manpower.
