Business Reporter
Modaso Energy, a MISA Group company and Zimbabwean renewable energy developer Tatanga Energy have unveiled plans for a US$300 million hybrid renewable energy project in Mashonaland Central Province.
The 228 MW Guruve-Mazowe project will mark Zimbabwe’s first utility-scale wind farm and the first development in sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa to integrate wind, solar and battery storage.
The facility combines 128 megawatts (MW) of wind, 100 MW of solar and a 50 MW battery system connected to the national grid.
It is expected to produce 550 GWh per year, about 5 percent of Zimbabwe’s current electricity supply.
The project originates from Zimbabwean developer Tatanga Energy, which has managed local operations, land rights, community consultations, environmental permitting and government engagements since initiating wind measurement campaigns in 2021.
Modaso Energy, a subsidiary of the Geneva-based MISA Group, redesigned the original single-source concept into a hybrid model and is directing technical development, offtake structures and debt financing.
“There is no shortage of renewable resources in Africa; but there is a shortage of electrons at the right place and the right time and of bankable, high-quality projects. At MISA Group through Modaso Energy, we are changing that,” said Mr Guy Hacking, chief executive of MISA Group.
“With Modaso, we have a pipeline of over 1 GWh of renewable projects that sit behind this initial project, powered by our firm belief that Africa is not under-resourced; it’s under-invested – and we exist to change that.”
Standard Bank has agreed to a debt term sheet after being appointed as the lead arranger for the project’s debt financing.
Financial close is scheduled for mid-2027, with construction commencing immediately afterward to meet a target commercial operation date in 2029.
National utility ZESA is positioned as the primary offtaker, with negotiations underway for the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and Use of System Agreement.
“This will be Zimbabwe’s first utility-scale wind farm and our country’s first project to combine wind, solar and battery storage. It means new clean power for Zimbabwe and new skills for Zimbabweans. We are proud to help build it,” said ZESA chief executive Eng Cletus Nyachowe.
To mitigate financial risks for institutional lenders, regional energy trader Africa GreenCo – through its local subsidiary ZimGreenCo -has signed Heads of Terms to purchase a portion of the generation output under a long-term contract.
Uncontracted capacity may be traded on the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
“ZimGreenCo gives Guruve-Mazowe a second route to market alongside ZESA, with access to buyers across the Southern African Power Pool,” said Mr Lion Mashiri, managing director for Zimbabwe at Africa GreenCo.
“That diversified revenue makes the project stronger for lenders and helps bring private investment into Zimbabwe’s power sector.”
Standard Bank head of project finance Ms Sherrill Byrne highlighted the investment potential within Zimbabwe’s energy market, noting that the combination of wind, solar and battery storage—alongside a diversified buyer strategy—will deliver reliable, sustainable power while driving economic growth and local jobs.
By pairing solar generation, which peaks during daylight hours, with wind output and battery energy storage, the plant maintains an average grid capacity factor above 60 percent.
This engineering approach delivers about 40 percent more energy through the same grid connection while providing fast-response grid stability independently of rainfall patterns or fuel import logistics.
“Our mission at Modaso is to enable innovative hybrid developments that maximise the stability of power and utilisation to benefit communities, government, investors and offtakers alike,” said Mr Ramy Lotfy, co-founder and chief executive of Modaso Energy.
“This project is an example of what true partnership can achieve. We have worked with Tatanga Energy to convert this from a single-source project to a commercially viable hybrid project, and together we’re excited to move this project into its next phase as we seek financial closure in 2027.”
Tatanga Energy co-founder and director Ms Memory Mashingaidze highlighted the local impact of the initiative she helped originate, welcoming the partnership with Modaso Energy and MISA Group and noting that construction will deliver clean energy, local infrastructure upgrades, and thousands of jobs.
Project execution is anticipated to generate approximately 1 000 jobs during construction, with local hiring preferences negotiated through community consultations.
The project will fund permanent road upgrades along the turbine transport route near the grid connection, located three kilometers from the 132 kV Mutorashanga-Horseshoe transmission line.
Developers confirmed that no population displacement or land resettlement will be required.
Environmentally, the plant is projected to displace around 0,5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually while supplying approximately 11 percent of the target under Zimbabwe’s National Renewable Energy Policy, which aims for 2 100 MW of renewable power by 2030.
While the power supply situation has improved greatly over the last few years, Zimbabwe still needs significant investment to ramp up electricity production to meet its energy targets and close the gap between supply and peak demand. Peak electricity demand stands at roughly 2000 MW to 2 200 MW and outpaces reliable domestic generation capacity of 1 200 MW to 1 600 MW.
Domestic generation capacity also remains somewhat fragile given the impact of frequent droughts on the country’s hydro-power facilities, such as the 1050MW Kariba South Power Station, the country’s second-largest facility after Hwange Power Station, a 1 520 MW thermal power plant.
Although units 7 and 8 boosted output at Hwange Power Station by 600MW, output from the older section of the facility continues to be constrained by old equipment, which causes regular unplanned fault-induced shutdowns.
