Energy efficiency policy launched
GOVERNMENT has launched the national energy efficient validation policy aimed at creating sustainable ways of saving energy in the country.
Speaking during the launch ceremony in Harare yesterday, the Minister of Energy and Power Development Zhemu Soda said energy efficiency and renewable energy were considered to be the twin pillars of sustainable energy supply.
He said the policy would augment other policies and ensure that the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) objective to achieve energy efficiencies through minimum level of energy to obtain the maximum economic output whilst minimising harm to people and the environment is met.
“The scope of the energy efficiency policy will cover all sectors of the economy since energy is a key enabler in all sectors. It will be extended to households, farms, agro-processing industries and municipalities.
“I am glad to reveal that the Government has already initiated the energy efficient lighting project by promoting the use of energy savers in place of inefficient incandescent light bulbs.
“It is estimated that the use of efficient lights in households is already saving us up to 40MW of electricity,” Minister Soda said.
He said they expected the project to be extended to public lighting at municipalities and all public buildings.
Minister Soda also said Zimbabwe was experiencing an intermittent power supply situation characterised by supplementing through power imports and loadshedding.
“This is happening despite the fact that average electricity access is only 44 percent, the majority of those with access being urban dwellers.
“I am informed that electricity access in rural areas is a measly 13 percent, a figure we wish to correct as we approach the 2030 horizon.
“Going forward, we want to ensure that those who have access to modern energy services embrace energy efficiency practices and technologies which are modern and sustainable.”
Minister Soda said the demand for electricity in the country currently stood at about 1 700 megawatts (MW) and this was met through an internal generation of 700-1300MW, imports from our neighbours of 50-300MW, resulting in loadshedding during peak periods when imports were not secured.
The demand for diesel and petrol was about five million litres per day and was met through imports.
Demand for energy products was growing every day because of increased socio- economic activities in the country, which was evidence of the sound policies being implemented by the Second Republic.
“If the country is to realise President Mnangagwa’s vision of attaining an upper middle income economy by 2030, a lot of effort has to go into making energy available to all our citizens.”
Deputy Minister of Energy and Power Development Magna Mudyiwa said the Ministry has embarked on various initiatives with the aim of saving more than 300MW of electricity.
“A number of demand side management opportunities are available but their implementation differs on complexities, costs, availability and technology.
“Energy saving may be achieved through switching off unnecessary lights, retrofitting inefficient lighting systems and power factor correction among other ways,” she said.