The National Railways of Zimbabwe Contributory Pension Fund has signed up an agreement for the installation of rooftop solar at its key properties nationwide by Distributed Power Africa (DPA) to alleviate the effects of loadshedding.
DPA is the renewable energy business of leading pan-African technology group Cassava Technologies.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe Contributory Pension Fund is a self-administered Pension Fund which was started in 1949. The National Railways of Zimbabwe is the Fund’s employer.
Combined, the installations at various locations of the NRZ Pension Fund clients will total 5.3MW, making this one of DPA’s most notable projects to date. Moreover, with a projected annual energy production of 5.59GWh, the project will contribute significantly towards relieving the grid.
The electricity deficit in the country has increased the demand for organizations investing in alternative and renewable energy. This has resulted in DPA speeding up the rollout of renewable energy solutions for customers across various sectors in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa.
Commenting on the agreement, Mr Divyajeet Mahajan, CEO of DPA Zimbabwe, said: “We are delighted to be working with the National Railways of Zimbabwe Contributory Pension Fund. The growing awareness among businesses to adopt reliable and cleaner energy is encouraging as it highlights the increasing consciousness towards meeting sustainability goals. We are ready to partner with our clients to deliver solutions that meet their energy needs especially with the current load shedding situation in the country”.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe Contributory Pension Fund manages a portfolio of properties across the country, including retail space and office buildings. Installing solar power will ensure occupants have a more reliable and uninterrupted power supply.
“This partnership with DPA fulfils our mission as the Pension fund to manage the Fund in a way that is efficient and responsible. By switching to solar energy, we will save over 2,192 tons of carbon emissions annually, which will help us meet our obligations to our members, our tenants, and the environment,” said Takunda Madanha, Chairman of the NRZ Contributory Pension Fund Board.
