An energy expert has said the Zimbabwean government should have shifted to solar energy a long time ago and would have avoided the current power crisis.
Benjamin Amos speaks as the southern African nation is experiencing some of its worst power outages in memory with electricity available only between 10 pm and 4 am in most parts of the country.
The country’s peak demand is 2 200 megawatts (MW), according to authorities, but is currently producing about 650MW only with experts urging the government to prioritise other sources of renewable energy.
Amos said the mere fact that Zimbabwe and Zambia were experiencing different load-shedding schedules showed the difference in planning between the two countries. He told the Standard:
Zimbabwe is having prolonged blackouts lasting for 22 hours daily and Zambia will start to implement load shedding for six hours. We have the same climate. Zimbabwe is severely affected because of poor planning on our part.
The writing has been on the wall since the 1980s that hydro-power would be less sustainable in the future.
Government should have introduced full-proofing measures long ago.
Climate change presents an opportunity to shift to green energy.
We are experiencing more sunny days than usual. Government should have shifted to solar energy a long time ago.
Information from the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) showed that the country’s capacity utilisation went down from a 10-year high of 57% in 2021 to 51% this year.
Energy and Power Development minister Zhemu Soda last week said the power deficit was mainly triggered by winter wheat farming which consumed more electricity and also blamed consumers were not paying their bills.
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa last week blamed the crisis on former president Robert Mugabe’s maladministration.