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Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
Wind energy is set to become a significant source of power in Zimbabwe, thanks to the adoption of advanced technology that will facilitate the modification of windmills.
The Ministry of Energy and Power Development is currently conducting a wind resource assessment to identify suitable areas for establishing wind power stations across the country.
Speaking during a Minimum Energy Performance Systems (MEPS) training workshop in Bulawayo, Engineer Frank Tinarwo explained that this new technology will result in lighter blades for wind turbines.
As a result, turbines can generate power even at wind speeds of just two meters per second. Eng Tinarwo is the provincial head for Matabeleland North under the Ministry of Energy and Power Development.
He said the new technology will utilise hub heights of 80 to 100 meters which provides favourable wind speeds.
“Several companies have installed wind measurement stations across their territories to collect data on wind conditions,” he said.
“The assessment results are promising. We have discovered that wind and solar systems can operate simultaneously, as wind speeds tend to increase during the night. The windmill turbines can be placed on rooftops.”
leeroy