The Sunday Mail
As the United Nations work towards achieving universal energy access before 2030, stakeholders in the local energy sector are calling upon Zimbabweans to adopt and invest in clean renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and thermal.
In presentations made during a Power-For-All media capacity-building workshop in Harare recently, energy experts highlighted the need for Zimbabwe to join the rest of the world in switching to renewable energy sources.
Power-For-All is a global campaign by businesses and non-governmental organisations to drive the policy, regulatory and financial environment needed for the energy sector to increase energy access.
Zimbabwe is one of the many countries that are grappling energy poverty.
Statistics released by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development on the energy situation in Zimbabwe revealed that during peak hours, the country needs 1 400 megawatts yet the average internal power generation is about 1 065 megawatts.
The shortfall is met through imports from South Africa and Mozambique.
Most rural communities rely on wood and cannot afford the electricity connection fees that are charged by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
Individual rural households, most of whom do not have any income, are often quoted to pay as much as $3 000 for them to get connected to the national grid.
Globally, more than 1,3 billion people lack electricity with 2,7 billion relying on traditional biomass such as wood and cow dung for cooking.
It is against this background that energy experts highlighted the need for Zimbabwe to join the rest of the world in adopting clean, affordable renewable energy sources.
The experts argued that the acceleration of the use of renewable energy helps in the fight against energy poverty.
In a presentation on how the country can move from fossil energy and switch to renewable energy sources, Engineer Oswell Chakwanda chronicled how other countries have successfully incorporated renewable energy sources as a substitute to fossil.
“People without electricity often burn wood or cow dung for cooking, which are known sources of air pollution. Air pollution kills more people every year than malaria and tuberculosis combined. There is need for people to move to energy alternatives such as solar or wind,” Eng Chakwanda said.
He said Zimbabwe must take a cue from Japan, the world’s third largest investor in renewables. Japan has successfully implemented solar power projects.
Ms Fiona Mundoga, a programmes officer with the Ruzivo Trust, a research-based institution that tackles issues to do with renewable energy, land, agriculture, livelihoods, food security and natural resources management; highlighted how renewable energy sources have transformed the lives of rural communities.
She gave an example of how affordable solar lamps have allowed vendors to sell their produce at night.
“We also have solar household systems which are common in both rural and urban areas. They help address energy requirements as far as lighting and other utilities are concerned,” she said.
Mr Wellington Madumira, a project officer with the Zero Environmental Organisation, called upon the media to help in the switch to renewable energy sources
“By reporting on energy issues, the media empowers people to participate in the debates and discussions that affects them. Communities will be able to share knowledge and skills at all levels,” Mr Madumira said.
“Media reports enable people to have a say in the design, implementation and impact assessment of sustainable energy projects, increases public awareness and broadens participation,” he said.
Apart from Japan, Zimbabwe can also learn from such countries such as Denmark which is relying on wind for energy generation.
In 2014, nearly 40 percent of Denmark’s overall electricity consumption was covered by wind power. The European country is on track to meet its 2020 target to have 50 percent of all its energy needs covered by renewable energy sources.
Most countries are now resorting to solar energy and according to the International Renewable Energy Agency, solar plants using photovoltaic technology could account for eight to 13 percent of global electricity that will be produced in 2030.
In 2015, solar plants produced an insignificant 1,2 percent of global electricity.
The cost of producing electricity using solar panels is lower when compared to that of producing natural gas and using coal-fired plants.
Government, through the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, is developing and promoting the use of renewable energy sources.
The National Energy Policy promotes the uptake of renewable energy resources in the country with the Electricity Act making a provision for Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to participate in electricity generation.
The Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation (ZimAsset) also promotes increased uptake of renewable energy with energy falling under the infrastructure and utilities cluster.
Renewable energy sources have lower marginal costs as compared to fossils. The International Renewable Energy Agency predicts they will account for more than 60 percent of new power-plant investments by 2035.
Global wind installations, for example, have soared by about 25 percent a year since 2006.
Global commercial investments in clean energy have more than quadrupled, from nearly $30 billion in 2005 to about $160 billion in 2012.
Even countries with vast oil reserves and coal have recognised the importance of using renewable energy sources and are, therefore, developing substantial renewable energy programmes.
According to the International Energy Agency, the cost of maintaining oil wells have doubled with investors making losses in new oil mining ventures.
Online sources indicate that solar energy is changing economics and is already influencing business consumption and investment.
In consumption, a number of companies with large physical footprints and high power costs are installing commercial-scale rooftop solar systems, often at less than the current price of buying power from a utility.
An example is that of Wal-Mart Stores, an American multi-national retail corporation which operates a chain of hypermarkets and grocery stores. Wal-Mart recently stated that it will switch to 100 percent renewable power by 2020, up from the current 20 percent.
Although the future lies in renewable energy, this does not, however, mean that the world is, in the immediate term, running out of fossil fuels. There are enough known oil reserves to cater for the next 53 years and coal deposits are also still abundant.
