Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve Victoria Falls Reporter
THE nation’s power utility, through its ZESA National Training Centre (NTC) and the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), has demonstrated remarkable technological prowess by clinching six awards at the Presidential Innovation 2025 Fair Awards Ceremony held in Harare on Thursday .
The utility’s sweeping success across multiple categories highlights a significant commitment to homegrown innovation aimed at solving national challenges in energy, environment, and agriculture.
ZESA NTC emerged as the star of the ceremony, securing five awards.
Their triumphs include first-place honours in three major categories.
The Development of a Net Metering Billing System won the top Presidential Innovation Award for Transport and Energy, praised for its potential to revolutionise billing for independent energy retailers.
Another first-place winner in Mining and Mineral Beneficiation was the Geopolymer Powerline Pole Construction using Coal Fly Ash, a circular economy marvel that transforms power plant waste into durable, low-carbon construction material.
In Agriculture, the Development of a Least Cost Biomimicry Drone for Quelea Bird Control also took first prize.
This innovative drone, designed to mimic a bird of prey, offers a cost-effective and precise solution to protect crops from destructive Quelea flocks.
The centre further won second place in Environment and Sustainable Development for an Integrated Drone and GIS Technology system, which revolutionises environmental monitoring and land management.
Capping this haul, ZESA NTC was awarded the Presidential Award for the Best Innovating Industrial Training Centre, a testament to its institutional excellence and a breeding ground for future innovators.
Not to be outdone, ZETDC secured third place in the Best Innovating Private Sector category for the Development of a Hybrid Power Transmission Line and Transformer Anti-Vandalism System.
This crucial innovation combats infrastructure theft through rapid detection and evidence collection, enhancing grid reliability for all Zimbabweans.
The innovations, which earned combined prize money and recognition, are more than theoretical concepts.
The Net Metering system is ripe for commercialisation, the geopolymer poles offer an eco-friendly alternative to cement, the drone technologies provide cutting-edge tools for environmental and agricultural management, and the anti-vandalism system directly tackles a chronic cause of power outages.
This victory at the national innovation fair positions ZESA not just as a power provider, but as a leading engine of Zimbabwean ingenuity, developing practical, sustainable solutions that promise to drive the nation’s socio-economic development forward.
