Government says a renewable energy policy will be in place within six months as the country steps up strategies to implement the national energy policy.
Addressing delegates during the inception of a renewable energy policy development workshop held in the capital, Deputy Minister of Energy and Power Development Tsitsi Muzenda said it is important for the country to formulate a policy on renewable energy as it attracts investments into the sector and improves the country’s energy supply.
Dr Muzenda added that for Zimbabwe to exploit its renewable energy potential for its clean development pathway, the country needs to create an enabling environment. “For Zimbabwe to exploit all this renewable energy potential for its clean development pathway, the country needs to create an enabling environment for investment in the sector. Part of this framework demands the existence of a Renewable Energy Policy (REP) and an implementation strategy with timelines and targets,” she said.
She said the REP exists to provide affordable and accessible energy to all Zimbabweans, as wells as reducing the country’s heavy dependency on energy imports.
“It has been envisaged that investors and other stakeholders would take advantage of this enabling policy framework to ensure that there is universal access to modern energy services within a reasonable timeframe.
Government through the Rural Electrification Authority continues to advance provision of electricity in rural areas and targets to complete about 8000 projects by 2018.
The country has been on a drive to increase affordable energy services and reduce the country’s heavy dependence on energy imports.
Currently, Zimbabwe has an internal generating capacity of 1 100 megawatts against a total suppressed peak demand of 1 400 megawatt
