Harare(New Ziana) –The government will expedite the implementation of new renewable energy projects in the country to ensure energy security, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Thursday.
He was speaking at the launch of the National Renewable Energy Policy and the Bio-fuels Policy of Zimbabwe.
President Mnangagwa said the government recognised that energy security was a key enabler of economic growth.
“We will therefore continue to facilitate the establishment of new projects that will increase power generation,” he said.
“While in the past, the rate at which renewable energy projects were being adopted and implemented was slow, there is now need to expedite projects roll out as these will impact on our modernisation and industrialisation agenda.”
He said the launch of the two policies was testament of government commitment to give impetus to the implementation of renewable energy projects.
Implementing renewable energy projects would go a long way in aiding the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal number 7 which seeks to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, he said.
President Mnangagwa said renewable energy was a viable option given the current power shortages being experienced in Zimbabwe due to climate change.
“Government is thus aware that renewable energy has become a good option and a preferable source of energy throughout the world,” he said.
“It is against this background that we are launching these two polices today as part of the broader effort to diversify our energy sources and increase investments into the energy sector.”
He urged local authorities to take advantage of the new policy thrust to avail land for renewable energy projects.
“Equally, the financial services sector must develop financial products to facilitate the adoption and implementation of renewable energy projects,” he said.
Turning to the Bio-fuels policy, President Mnangagwa said it came at an opportune time as the country was experiencing intermittent and limited supply of petroleum products.
“These challenges, coupled with instability in the pricing of petroleum commodities and speculative tendencies by retailers and consumers has seen us witnessing disturbing fuel queues which waste productive time,” he said.
“We are equally determined to promote research and development of bio-fuels.”
The renewable energy policy aims to achieve an installed renewable energy capacity of 1 100 Megawatts or 16.5 percent of the country’s total electricity supply by 2025 and 2 100 Megawatt by 2030, among other things.
The Bio-fuels policy seeks to achieve consistent and sustainable ethanol blending of up to 20 percent by 2030 and introducing bio-diesel at a blending ratio of up to 2 percent by 2030, among other targets.
New Ziana
