Guruve solar park to feed 30MW into national grid

LOCAL sustainable energy and infrastructure development company, New Sahara Ventures, intends to connect an additional 30 megawatts (MW) to the national grid this year from its Guruve Solar Park expansion project in Mashonaland Central province.

The US$4,75 million project started feeding 5MW into the national grid last year.

Responding to written questions from Herald Finance and Business, New Sahara Ventures chairman Mr Ainos Ngadya said last year, his organisation also participated in the development of the 5,7MW Sunset Solar Farm in Matabeleland South Province and various off-grid solar power plants across the country.

“In 2024 New Sahara Ventures is on track to further connect at least 30MW to the national grid under the Guruve Solar Park expansion to provide clean energy to wider Guruve and Mahuwe communities, New Glovers 10MW solar farm in the Midlands Province, Sunports Energy Park in Mashonaland East corridor among other key rural centres,” he said.

Mr Ngadya said the off-grid solar power projects his organisation has been involved in have supported farming, industrial and commercial customers in the country.

He said each of the renewable energy projects New Sahara Ventures developed, has created an estimated 45 jobs (permanent and part-time) over the next 25 years.

“The projects also create stable renewable energy power for local farmers and industries and act as power import replacement.

“Funding for the projects have been secured from local and regional financial institutions who are increasingly tilting towards impact and sustainable investments,” said Mr Ngadya.

Over the years, Zimbabwe has been reeling under severe electricity shortages due to recurring breakdowns at Hwange Power Station, the country’s largest power station before the implementation of the plant’s US$1,5 billion expansion of Units 7 and 8.

The two units were commissioned by President Mnangagwa last year adding 600MW to the national grid.

So far, Zimbabwe’s power generation averages 1 400MW including output from IPPs projects.

This is against national demand of above 2 000MW.

The Government intends to increase Zimbabwe’s overall electricity supply from 2 317MW of installed capacity to 3 467MW by next year.

The country’s power situation has been exacerbated by subdued generation at Kariba, which is also Zimbabwe’s biggest hydropower plant, on the back of low water levels caused by the adverse effects of climate change.

As part of the initiatives to address the country’s power supply situation, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has since 2010 been licensing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to invest in renewable energy targeting a combined output of 1 100MW from the sector by next year.

However, the country’s drive towards generating the targeted 1 100MW from the renewable energy sector by 2025, has been slowed down by a lack of investment by IPPs due to currency volatility and uneconomic tariffs.

To address the above concern, the Government has given guarantees to IPPs with projects of a combined 1 000MW.

The Government agreed to a Government Implementation Agreement (GIA) for all solar projects and under the framework, IPPs are guaranteed an economic tariff while the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe ensures that they can convert their earnings to foreign currency and be able to transfer it.

The GIA also carries a power purchase agreement with the country’s power utility, ZESA.