Efforts to promote solar power solutions on cards

Business Writer

The joint Parliamentary Portfolio Committees on Energy and Power Development and Environment, Climate, and Tourism have made several recommendations to promote solar solutions to ensure energy security for industries and reduce carbon dioxide emissions and fossil fuel dependency by December 2025.

This follows a benchmarking visit to Stockholm, Sweden from 18 to 25 February, 2023 by the legislators on the measures the Swedish Government has adopted to promote and develop its renewable energy mix with a long-term view of net-zero carbon emission by 2050.

The visit also sought to understand the renewable energy mix initiatives to help them enact laws and regulations that require public investment and incentivise private investment in green infrastructure.

In addition, the delegation sought to understand the strategies that were used by Swedish energy players to increase energy supply and contribute to access to modern energy, appreciate how the Swedish Government collaborated with its research and development institutions, to learn Swedish best practices in lithium battery industry its model of creating space for entrepreneurs trying to solve climate change.

The report was presented before the Parliament recently.

It has also recommended that investment start-up capital should be granted to the private sector to boost energy sector in order to revive the energy sector while the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency should ensure compliance with policies that attract investments.

It also recommended that the Ministries of Mines and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce should collaborate, value add and integrate lithium-ion battery value chain and recycling in their operations by December 2025.

The Ministry of Industry should engage technocrats to support the innovative capacity within the research and academic fields to come up with ideas that promote sustainable waste management strategies and circular production by December 2025.

The Ministry of Small to Medium Enterprises is urged to organise a benchmarking visit to Kigali, Rwanda to learn about the Norrsken incubation hubs for potential entrepreneurs.