Energy efficiency tender selection process begins

Harare Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) will tomorrow begin the selection process for the national energy efficiency audit tender after it shortlisted 11 candidates.
The audit will be carried out in the third quarter of 2013.
Speaking to our Harare Bureau yesterday Zera chief executive, Engineer Gloria Magombo confirmed that they would begin the selection of the winner tomorrow.“We have received the tenders and we are yet to evaluate them before we select the winner of the tender,” she said.
She added that the terms of reference for the national energy audit have already been finalised and a consultant has been engaged to carry out the audit.

“The consultant will identify potential sources of renewable energy and develop tariffs….we want to develop feed in tariffs for solar, small hydro biomass and biogas. Part of the audit will help us come up with a renewable energy procurement policy framework, because in the past we have received investors who want to set up plants in our country, but we did not have data on our potential capacity,” said Eng Magombo.

She added that the audit, among many things, aims to measure energy use and loss countrywide.
“The national energy efficiency audit will be carried out in order to identify potential energy savings for the economy,” she said.

Engineering Council of Zimbabwe Chairman, Engineer Martin Manhuwa said achieving energy efficiency and demand side intervention in the country should be everyone’s responsibility and not just for the Government.

“This is something we as corporates have to look at because ultimately electricity costs impact on the profitability of business,” Eng Manhuwa said.
The audit will be carried out in the third quarter of 2013 and the last audit was done in 2005. The energy efficiency audit will generate adequate statistical data on the country’s potential renewable energy generation capacity.

It will provide a basis for decision making and policy formulation as there is currently a lack of information on the potential energy that can be generated and the cost of procuring energy locally, particularly from renewable power sources.