STAKEHOLDERS in the energy sector have amplified calls for more funding towards energy projects for the development of the African continent.
The African continent is rich in vast mineral reserves, but their extraction is an energy-intensive process.
To catalyse economic development, stakeholders at the Energy Forum for Africa conference held in Harare underscored the critical need for cross-border collaboration on financing initiatives.
“For countries like Zimbabwe and Zambia we need a lot of power to extract minerals but when we have droughts for example power generation gives deficit, so what we want to create is a Climate resilient energy sector for Africa which can withstand using the sun, wind we can utilize the renewable sources. What had caused this deficit is also partly due to lack of access to finance so we need solutions because he energy sector is a long term investment,” Engineer Hope Chanda CEO Energy Forum for Africa, said CEO Energy Forum for Africa, Engineer Hope Chanda.
The Zimbabwean government outlined various initiatives to reform the energy sector, including tariff enhancements.
“Zambia and Zimbabwe has been collaborating when it comes to electricity including Kariba, we are also Interconnected so that we trade in power , Going forward we will build new power stations like Batoka and others and cross-border opportunities. Zambia will soon connect with east Africa and we are at the centre of the southern African power hub. It will be beneficial to us as well and the region and help us reduce the cost of the provision of electricity since will be getting it mainly from hydro,” noted Chief Director Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Engineer Benson Munyaradzi.
Several countries are looking at emulating Zambia, which has already established a 100-megawatt solar plant.
To supplement power being produced at its various thermal and hydro-power stations, Zimbabwe has a renewable energy policy in place, which has seen the licencing of independent power producers and launching of solar plants across the country.
