Online Reporter
Herald Correspondent
ZESA has moved away from conventional physical displays at this year’s Zimbabwe Agricultural Show in Harare, launching a digital-first exhibition that showcases a fully integrated smart grid.
The utility’s display, themed as bridging the energy gap through smart solutions, provides a detailed demonstration of a total smart grid, from electricity generation to the end consumer.
“ZENT, our manufacturing arm, has provided scale models of critical infrastructure, including the Hwange 7 and 8 units, transformers, poles, and substation construction,” Zesa’s stakeholder relations, communications, and welfare manager, Dr George Manyaya, said.
“The display is designed to illustrate how these components are manufactured domestically to support the national grid.”
“Powertel, our digital communications subsidiary, is also showcasing its over-the-power-line fibre technology. This system is central to the utility’s efforts to enhance grid control and monitoring, allowing for real-time data and remote management of the network.”
More than 450 households and businesses are now collectively feeding more than 77MW of solar power into the national grid.
Net metering is a system that allows solar energy system owners to sell excess electricity they produce to the national grid and receive credits for it. Then those with a grid-tied inverter and a smart meter use these credits to offset their consumption when their solar supply is insufficient, such as at night or on cloudy days.
“The ZETDC net metering programme is showing significant growth, with a combined total of 77MW of solar power now being fed into the national grid by households and businesses across the country,” Dr Manyaya said.
“The aim is to ramp up net metering contribution to 100MW by the end of 2025 and another 100MW in 2026. So far 452 domestic clients have been connected, reflecting a strong adoption of renewable energy among households.”
Dr Manyaya said commercial entities, including large-scale industrial and agricultural businesses, are contributing a substantial amount of power.
“On the other hand, a substantial number of large-scale contributors, including commercial clients, as well as various industrial and agricultural entities, are collectively feeding a considerable amount of power into the grid. This diverse participation highlights the widespread interest in and the potential of solar energy across different sectors of the economy.
“The latest figures reveal a robust increase in participation, with the total number of applications for the programme reaching 756. This growing interest is a key indicator of the country’s move towards a more sustainable and decentralised energy system.”
He described the growing interest as a key indicator of the country’s shift towards a more sustainable and decentralised energy system.
“The ongoing participation from both residential and commercial sectors underscores the programme’s critical role in bolstering the nation’s energy generation capacity and its strategic importance in diversifying the energy mix.”
Any existing customer with a grid-tied solar system, up to their rated power from ZETDC, qualifies to apply.
The credited units not only ensure a consistent power supply for the customer but also help them remain in a lower tariff band, thereby reducing monthly bills.
