Zimbabwe is focusing on renewable energy including the options of rooftop and solar farms; Information and Publicity Minister Monica Mutsvangwa revealed yesterday as energy challenges persist in the country.
The country has been facing electricity shortages due to lack of water for energy generation at Kariba Hydro Electricity Power plant.
“An exercise to compute the space available for this option is being set in motion in order for the marketing to be undertaken with investors, many of whom have realized the immense potential that Zimbabwe possesses in relation to solar energy,” Mutsvangwa said.
“Options for powering agriculture through smaller grids will be pursued as part of building resilience to climate change.”
The Information Minister went on to reveal that electricity generation at the country’s major hydropower plant at Kariba remains depressed owing to low inflows into the lake in the wake of low rainfall in the catchment area.
“While every effort is being made to ensure that citizens and corporates continue to access electricity for sustaining operations, Government wishes to inform the nation that greater emphasis will be placed on power augmentation projects, with commencement of works at the Batoka Gorge site being scheduled for this year,” she said.
Government at some point had to import electricity from neighbouring countries including South Africa and Mozambique to help ease the situation.
The country is also implementing load shedding which go for up to 10 hours to manage the shortages.
Electricity challenges have been affecting the industrial sector with reduced production due to lack of energy.
Fuel, which may work as a replacement for electricity, is also expensive and in shortage exacerbating the energy challenge in Zimbabwe.
