Rudo Saungweme

Minister of Energy and Power Development, Fortune Chasi has encouraged farmers to team up and set up solar energy plants, a model that can help in generating excess power even for sale.

Responding to economist, Vince Musewe, who had tweeted that the model which now works in Zimbabwe’s  current economic situation was the upside down approach whereby consumers generate own power and feed into the national grid, Minister Chasi posted, “I agree with you entirely Vince. In fact I’m looking at exactly this type of approach. For example 100 small farmers with their 5 hectare plots can have their own solar power source and sell excess power to ZESA which can later sell the national excess to the region.”

Another netizens, who only identified himself as Jonbrad, weighed in proposing that even those who do architectural work must introduce models that can help in preserving electricity.

“This goes a long way, even architectural designs can start looking at buildings that are naturally lit and reduce electricity powered lighting. Most of our office hours are during the sunshine hours,” he tweeted.

Government is doing all it can to help in filling the electricity supply gap in the country. Government has concluded a USD$ 1.4 billion agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China (EximBank) to expand power generation and help alleviate the country`s perennial electricity shortages.