By Dorcas Rumano
Speaking at the fifth edition of the Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, Energy and Climate Nexus Conference for industry draft programme which was held today at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Magna Mudyiwa highlighted that a policy on Renewable Energy and Bio-fuel will soon be launched.
“The ministry will be launching a Renewable Energy and Bio-fuel policy before the end of the year on a date to be announced.
“We encourage industry to use rooftops and the land around them for solar energy generation to help ease demand of power.”
Deputy Minister Mudyiwa added, “The ministry is encouraging the players in the industry, farming and private sector to embrace the use of renewable energy.
"The Government is putting in place measures to ensure power supply to the whole country through short term and long term strategies.”
Speaking at the same occasion, Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, Vangelis Haritatos who spoke on behalf of the Minister, Retired Air Chief Marshall Perrance Shiri, said water and energy are essential for the good performance of the industry.
“Zimbabwe’s Growth Domestic Product (GDP) growth is highly dependent on the performance of the rainfall season.
“Water and energy efficiency is critical, not only for environmental sustainability, but because it makes good business sense,” he said.
Mr Tendai Marowa a consultant on Energy Management and Greenhouse Gas Inventories on Energy and Sustainability said the industry could achieve significant cost savings by shifting certain operations to off-peak periods.
He said, "There has been too much reliance on the grid for power by the private sector. The unreliability of power supply in the country has forced many companies to seriously consider investing in solar PV systems to cater for sections or the whole plant."
The conference ran under the theme, ‘Developing Sustainable Solutions to Empower the Future.’
