Government targets 2 100MW renewable energy by 2030

GOVERNMENT has said its Renewable Energy Policy, which targets 1 100 megawatts by 2025 and 2 100MW by 2030 from renewable energy and bio-fuels (ethanol and biodiesel) by 2030 would go a long way in cushioning consumers against crippling power cuts.

This comes as the country is putting in place incentives for promoting investment in renewable energy to cover the climate change infrastructure financing gap.

Zimbabwe has experienced significant energy challenges over the past decade, with frequent power outages and an over-reliance on hydroelectric power, which has been affected by erratic rainfall patterns.

Solar energy, being a more reliable and scalable solution, has become increasingly attractive. Government has implemented several policies to encourage investment in solar energy, and the private sector has responded, with several large-scale solar projects either underway or in the planning stages.

In a speech read on his behalf by Chief Director, Mr Percy Takavarasha, at the second edition of the Africa Infrastructure and Built Environment Confex (AfriConfex) conference in Bulawayo last week, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said the country is facing electricity shortages mainly due to low electricity generation capacity at Kariba Hydropower station following the El-Nino-induced drought and reduced water table.

AfriConfex-2024

“Accordingly, to mitigate these impacts, through the Renewable Energy Policy, Government targets 1 100 megawatts by 2025 and 2 100MW by year 2030 for renewable energy and bio-fuels (ethanol and biodiesel) by 2030,” he said.

Further, Professor Ncube said the Government is supporting Independent Power Producers through Government Implementation Agreement (GIA) in the renewable energy sector hence solar plants ranging from 5KW to 200KW are being installed for industrial use, rural domestic use and agricultural purposes.

“During the first-half of 2024, 107 institutional and 159 domestic biogas digests countrywide were installed to produce the use of environmentally friendly renewable energy sources,” he said.
Zimbabwe has abundant renewable energy resources including solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power.

“The development of renewable energy sources could help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and reduce GHG emissions, as well as creating new opportunities for economic development, job creation and poverty reduction.”

Professor Ncube said collaborative actions between public entities and private investors can drive sustainable development and investments in renewable energy infrastructure to address the country’s energy deficit, promote sustainability, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and foster economic growth.

The National Renewable Energy Policy (NREP) and the Biofuels Policy of Zimbabwe (BPZ), launched in March 2020 seek to promote optimal supply and utilisation of energy for socio-economic development.

The policies also aim to promote investment in the renewable energy sector by providing specific incentives while establishing market-oriented measures and regulatory instruments for the renewable energy sector in Zimbabwe, covering solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, and biomass.

According to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera), renewable energy technologies now dominate the licensed power projects in line with the country’s quest for increased cleaner and more sustainable power supplies by the year 2025.

The country’s installed capacity of renewable energy, excluding large-scale hydropower, is expected to increase from about 5 percent in 2017 to about twenty-seven percent in 2030.

Energy is a key enabler to the acceleration of the country’s modernisation and industrialisation agenda as well as sustainable socio-economic growth.

To address perennial power shortages in the country, the Government is undertaking several electricity generation projects, most of which are funded by extra-budgetary funds, loans, and the private sector.

In line with NDS1, providing reliable and low-cost energy access is in line with the Government’s intention to provide economic growth and stability.

Meanwhile, Professor Ncube told delegates that financing gap in Zimbabwe is estimated at US$10,3 billion for climate adaptation and US$4,8 billion for mitigation for the period 2023-2030.-chrocnile