Pilot Solar Project Powers 200 Houses In Glen View
About 200 out of the targeted 400 houses in Glen View, Harare, have been connected to the pilot solar power project, which is set to be launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The project is being led by Paul Tungwarara, Special Presidential Investment Adviser and chairperson of Prevail Group International (PGI), with implementation by the Zimbabwe Solar Energy Company, a PGI subsidiary.
The initiative involves renting and installing solar panels on rooftops, with the generated solar energy being fed into the national grid.
After touring the Glen View Rooftop Solar Project, Jorum Gumbo on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on monitoring government programmes, said the project would boost Zimbabwe’s economic development. Said Gumbo (via NewsDay):
The Glen View solar power project stands as a shining example of this transition, an innovation-driven initiative that not only addresses energy challenges but also contributes to environmental sustainability and economic empowerment…
Community solar projects empower residents by providing affordable, clean energy solutions while reducing reliance on the national grid, thereby fostering resilience and economic development at the grassroots level.
Tungwarara said the project was motivated by the need to end the challenges associated with load-shedding. He said:
When we saw that there was too much load-shedding, we just came up with this concept of renting a roof, where we are going to put solar panels on each roof.
The project is running under the Presidential Solar Scheme, as we announced before.
For the pilot, we are going to put 400 houses. I think they have done nearly more than 200.
Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Charles Tawengwa, who joined Jorum Gumbo during the tour, assured that residents would not be affected by load-shedding.
Tawengwa also revealed that residents would receive a token of appreciation—approximately US$20 per month—for renting out their rooftops for the solar panels.
More: Pindula News
