Hakwata, Chipinge District, 3 October 2024 - In a landmark moment for rural development, a 200-kW solar mini-grid and green village model was commissioned in Hakwata village, bringing clean, reliable electricity to over 100 homes and businesses for the first time. This innovative project, valued at Contact online >>
Hakwata, Chipinge District, 3 October 2024 - In a landmark moment for rural development, a 200-kW solar mini-grid and green village model was commissioned in Hakwata village, bringing clean, reliable electricity to over 100 homes and businesses for the first time. This innovative project, valued at almost US$2 million, marks a significant leap towards Zimbabwe''s sustainable energy goals.
His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, who commissioned the project, stated: "The electricity access rate is 62%, with the grid electricity access rate in rural areas being around 23.4%. This figure is worryingly low, which means that Government and its development partners have to work together to increase access to modern energy in rural communities."
He added "We want to thank our partners in the CAWEP (FCDO and UNDP) for their assistance to achieving our goal of universal access to sustainable and modern energy in Zimbabwe by 2030."
The project, currently at 20% utilisation, powers 85 homes, 18 businesses, a school, a clinic, and 3 community boreholes, with ample capacity for future growth.
"This solar mini-grid is not just providing electricity; it is powering dreams, fostering equality, and catalysing sustainable development across multiple fronts," said Dr. Ayodele Odusola, UNDP Resident Representative.
The impact of this project on local livelihoods is already evident. Ms. Hamunyari Muzvuzvu, a local shopkeeper, shared her experience: "Before, I used expensive gas to power my shop''s fridges. Now, with the solar mini-grid, I''m spending less on energy and earning more. I''ve even expanded my business to sell kitchen appliances that use electricity. This project has truly transformed my life and business."
The CAWEP initiative is a result of a strong partnership between the British Government, the Government of Zimbabwe, and UNDP. This US$13.6 million collaboration, funded by the British, aims to bring sustainable development to often-overlooked and remote rural areas.
The British Ambassador, H.E. Pete Vowles, added, "Energy access is a fundamental right and key to economic growth. We''re committed to partnering with the Government of Zimbabwe on clean energy innovation and helping to unlock climate finance."
This comprehensive approach is expected to significantly boost local economic activity, improve livelihoods, and enhance quality of life, particularly for women and girls. It serves as a model for future rural electrification efforts across Zimbabwe.
Looking ahead, similar climate adaptation projects are underway in Binga, Insiza, and Chivi Districts, focusing on renewable energy, irrigation schemes and improved water access. These initiatives are part of the broader CAWEP project, which runs from 2022 to 2025.
CAWEP focuses on the development of climate-resilient multiple-use water and renewable energy infrastructure in vulnerable communities. The primary goal is to
The first solar plant of the Zimbabwe Mini-grid Solar Project (Phase III), undertaken by POWERCHINA, recently completed commissioning and began test operations, marking a significant milestone for the project.
The phase III project encompasses the structural design, equipment supply, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance training for seven photovoltaic sites.
At the power-generation ceremony, the owner's technical lead thanked POWERCHINA for its hard work in Zimbabwe's rural electrification. The successful trial operation lays a solid foundation for the future implementation and expansion of the project.
Since 2020, POWERCHINA has signed agreements for three phases of the mini-grid series of projects with the Zimbabwe Rural Electrification Fund (REF), which requires the construction of 33 photovoltaic stations in rural areas across 10 provinces in Zimbabwe. POWERCHINA is also responsible for training people how to operate thesephotovoltaic stations.
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It''s said that necessity is the mother of invention, and that''s the case in Zimbabwe where businesses and well-off residents are reportedly turning to off-grid minigrids and on-site solar, small wind and hydro-plus-storage systems in droves amid grid outages that can last 18 hours a day.
The average cost per connection for minigrids in nearly all Sub-Saharan countries has dropped by 20% over the past two years, to a point where average minigrid electricity rates are well below those charged by utilities. There are other substantial benefits.
"Minigrids furthermore provide vastly superior quality and quantity of energy to rural communities than national utilities do in most of these countries. For these reasons and many others, minigrid firms have the potential to drive transformational economic growth for the hundreds of millions for whom minigrids have repeatedly been shown to be the least costly option by key international institutions," says the international sustainable energy association Alliance for Rural Electrification in "Energy Access from the Bottom Up: Start-Up and SME Showcase 2018."
U.K.-based sustainable development advocacy and project developer Practical Action has been working to foster renewable energy in Zimbabwe since at least 2008. The charitable organization has developed six solar and more than six small-scale hydroelectric minigrids in southern Africa to date, said Zibusiso Ncube, Practical Action''s project manager for sustainable energy in southern Africa.
Practical Action has also assisted in the development of a supportive policy and institutional framework for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region that focuses on minigrids that use hybrid renewable energy, energy storage and diesel power generation.
"In Zimbabwe we have worked to bring the private sector together with other stakeholders for dialogue in improving the market environment for rural energy. We have also shared lessons from our minigrids with the private sector in order to help them as they invest in the rural renewable energy sector and market," Ncube said in an interview with Microgrid Knowledge.
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