The Sunday Mail
Tendai Chara
If the recommendations and commitments that were recently made by stakeholders in the renewable energy sector are going to be implemented, Zimbabwe’s renewable energy sector is about to enter a revolution.
Renewable energy sector associations; Government officias; and company, aid agencies and civil society representatives engaged in a Power-For-All meeting.
Power-For-All is a global campaign by businesses and NGOs to drive through the policy, regulatory and financial environment needed to increase energy access.
Zimbabwe is one of many countries grappling with energy deficits.
At the recent meeting, stakeholders united around a shared vision on how they can take advantage of renewable energy.
A commitment to create the conditions for accelerated distributable renewable energy market growth was made.
If properly implemented, the recommendations will surely spur the growth of the distributed renewable energy market.
Participating stakeholders included the Energy and Power Development Ministry and other key Government organs, the private sector-led Renewable Energy Association of Zimbabwe, financial institutions, and NGOs.
In its recommendations to Government, REAZ encouraged Government to set targets for distributed renewable energy growth.
According to REAZ, renewable energy use would grow rapidly if Government reduced the tax burden on related products and services as this would attract investment.
Other REAZ recommendations were raising awareness about renewable energy.
Association chair Mr Isaiah Nyakusengwa said, “Due to the lack of awareness, potential clients are unaware of recent advances in technology, reduction in cost, availability of financing solutions or the tremendous cost savings and other benefits.”
He encouraged Government to support efforts to promote quality by driving adherence to existing global standards.
Mr Nyakusengwa added: “Lack of market data makes it difficult for companies, investors and policymakers to make informed decisions.
There is a limited understanding of market performance, future potential, challenges and opportunities.”
Representing civil society organisations, Mr Gospel Matondi recommended that Government create a clear policy regarding land allocation for mini-grid development.
“Mini-grid development needs a quick and transparent process by which they can obtain permission to buy or rent government-owned land for mini-grid development. Government needs to allocate public funding to mini-grids in order to attract private investment,” Mr Matondi said.
“This can be achieved through tariff flexibility, allowing min-grip developers to charge high tariffs and the issuance of capital grants to help cover the upfront cost of mini-grid development.”
Government, through the Energy Ministry, committed itself to looking into issues to do with financing the energy sector and to consider the benefits of tariff reductions.
The ministry indicated willingness to roll out public awareness programmes, particularly targeting rural areas. Government is establishing a National Energy Information System to assist it and its partners to make informed decisions.
According to REAZ, Zimbabwe has a national electrification rate of 40 percent.
The 2017 Renewable Energy Policy states that while electrification has reached 80 percent in urban areas, rural electrification lags at around 21 percent.
Zimbabwe is primarily dependent on coal, oil, hydroelectric power and biomass for its energy needs, and experts say the country needs to invest more in renewable sources to meet the 2030 United Nations target of universal energy access.
