Renewable energy IPPs and Mini Hydro’s and other potential energy sources

A look into Zimbabwe’s renewable energy IPPs, mini hydros and other potential sources

Text By Martin Chemhere

Zimbabwe’s adoption of renewable energy technologies has been well documented, especially as the efforts increase to cut off its fossil fuel reliance.

The country’s vast renewable energy resources include solar, hydropower, biomass and to a limited extent, wind and geothermal, that to date have, according to economists, largely remained unexploited. The huge increase in the number of players in solar and hydropower has been notable in recent years.

Experts say that lack of investment by independent power producers (IPPs) keeps affecting expected growth for the country’s renewable energy sector. Zimbabwe is targeting to generate 1,100MW from renewable energy sources by 2025.

One of the licensed renewable energy projects is in Nyanga and is run by Nyangani Renewable Energy (Pvt) Ltd (NRE), a Zimbabwean IPP. Created in 2007, it has raised equity and loan capital to build 39MW of hydroelectric and solar generation to deliver electricity into the Zimbabwe national grid. The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (Pvt) Ltd (ZETDC) operates the national grid.

Including NRE, Zimbabwe’s registered renewable energy project operators as of March 2023 include names like Zimbabwe Zhongxin Electrical Energy Thermal Power Station, Triangle Power Station, Pungwe Mini Hydro (A) Power Station, Centragrid Power Station, Green Fuel Ethanol Power Plant, Jersey Estate Solar Plant, Blanket Mine Solar Plant and many others.

The Zimbabwean government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector have supported the development of renewable energy since 1980. A number of programmes have been implemented to promote the adoption of renewable energy technologies such as National Energy Policy, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), The National Biogas Programme, Rural Electrification (using solar mini-grids), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA),

Climate Policy among others.

Zimbabwe has some of the best solar irradiation for solar PV projects, perennial runoff river sites ideal for minihydro plants in the Eastern Highlands and inland dams that have potential to generate power for the long term.

In line with the increased thrust on clean energy, the IDBZ (Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe) has taken a deliberate position to play a more active role in efforts to increase electricity generation from renewables, through its own projects and also collaborating with IPPs. These projects include Osborne Dam and Odzani Mini Hydro Project in Manicaland. On completion, the two will contribute to the national grid, Osborne with 1,7 megawatts while the latter’s capacity is yet to be determined. The bank is contributing to the increase in generation of renewable energy by identifying three sites with the capacity to generate 67MW of clean energy.

In the last quarter of 2022, the Zimbabwe government introduced incentives to step up the generation of 1,000 megawatts of privately owned solar energy projects estimated around US$1 billion.

It is hoped that that the steady growth that Zimbabwe is currently experiencing in the renewable energy sector will lead to energy efficiency and economic prosperity for the country in the near future.