PPPs, regional partnerships to steer SADC renewable energy drive

ENERGY and Power Development Minister, July Moyo, has issued a clarion call for accelerated regional integration and robust public-private sector collaboration to expand renewable energy access across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, describing the energy transition mode as non-negotiable for economic transformation.

Speaking at the recent second SADC Sustainable Energy Week in Victoria Falls, Minister Moyo said the region must urgently address the challenges of expanding clean energy infrastructure while ensuring energy security for all member states.

“As a region, we are grappling with the issue of renewable energy expansion and as a country, we strongly believe in regional integration and the role that both the public and the private sector play in all of it,” said Minister Moyo.

The week-long conference, being held under the theme, “Driving Regional Economic Growth through Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency,” has attracted energy ministers, diplomats, development partners, academia, and private sector players from across the SADC region and beyond.

Minister Moyo emphasised that the energy crisis confronting the region demands collective solutions that transcend national borders.

He said no single country can effectively address its energy challenges in isolation, hence the need for strengthened regional co-operation through existing frameworks such as the Southern African Power Pool (Sapp).

“You are, therefore, encouraged to network as much as possible through bilateral meetings in the meeting rooms provided.

“We will not be having closed-door sessions, but instead, we will promote synergies among all attendees this year,” he said.

The minister said the conference represents a critical platform for fostering meaningful connections between the Government policy makers and private sector investors, describing the interface as essential for mobilising the substantial capital required for large-scale renewable energy projects.

“We also acknowledge the important role played by conventional thermal power plants and traditional hydropower plants within the energy mix.

“Our actions and plans as a region must recognise these energy sources as well as energy efficiency efforts,” he said.

Minister Moyo underscored the importance of energy efficiency as a complementary strategy to expanding generation capacity, noting that industrial and mining machinery across the regional economy must be optimised to extract maximum value from available energy resources.

“Energy efficiency plays an important role in ensuring adequate supply to productive users of energy. Our machinery in industry, in mining and across the entire economy, must be energy efficient if we are going to realise benefits from the available energy resources in our countries,” he said.

Minister Moyo also addressed regulatory shortcomings, acknowledging that the region has not been adequately collecting and presenting data on generation, transmission, distribution and retail.

He called for strengthened regulatory systems through harmonising laws, tariffs and application procedures across member states.

“Realising also the importance of regulation, we need to strengthen our regulatory systems through synchronising laws, tariffs and application of the system.

“This will strengthen us as SADC and will make us a regional block, as we are superintended by the Southern African Power Pool,” he said.

“A strengthened block is easily identified as a safe hub for local and international investments and opportunities.”

During the ministerial segment of the conference, Zimbabwe will present its Energy Compact alongside other SADC member states.

Minister Moyo described the compact as Zimbabwe’s blueprint for the energy sector, designed to support the attainment of Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy.

The conference will also provide an opportunity for the official handover of the hosting baton to Eswatini, which will host the next edition of the SADC Sustainable Energy Week.

The conference programme includes plenary sessions, sponsored sessions, bilateral meetings, field visits, and networking events designed to maximise engagement and collaboration, among participants.

On Friday, delegates will visit sustainable energy sites in Victoria Falls, where they will observe community biogas digesters in use and solar thermal technologies installed at one of the local hotels.
There will also be an opportunity to visit the Victoria Falls rainforest.