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ZIMBABWE requires at least $20 million annually to fund research and development programmes in the energy sector in the search for clean and alternative energy sources, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) chief executive officer Engineer Gloria Magombo said yesterday.
She said the country was lagging behind in researching on new methods and trends emerging in the energy sector due to lack of funding.
Eng Magombo said most research institutions had scaled down on capacity due to funding constraints.
“I think the funding which we are looking at on an annual basis can go beyond $20 million to do that research effectively but what we received specifically just for renewable energy and energy efficiency as projects was about $3 million, of which we could only fund about $1,3 million worth of projects,” she said.
“The research institutions at the moment do not have sufficient funding to carry out all the research in energy which they would want to do, even that estimate I have given of $20 million is because they have scaled down on what they can do because it is important for us to say even if there is so much technology that has been developed those technologies still have to be tested for our own conditions as a country.”
She said Zimbabwe could benefit from research in alternative energy including solar and biogas so that the energy deficit the country was facing could be bridged.
“Our research institutions need to be capacitated so that they are able to do the research and even the issue of how much they can do in terms of either assembly or manufacturing of some of these fresh technologies will depend on how much money they can access.
“I believe it will also contribute towards employment creation because from research once those things are proven they have to be rolled out as projects so it just does not stop at research,” she said.
Zimbabwe is presently facing acute power shortages with power utility Zesa Holdings generating about 1 200 MW of electricity against peak demand of over 2 000 MW, with the shortfall imported from neighbouring countries.
To remedy the situation, various projects are being undertaken to increase power supply including the expansion of Hwange and Kariba South power plants as well as construction of the Batoka gorge project. – New Ziana
Online Reporter