Zimbabwe should harness other power forms

ZIMBABWE can address its energy shortfalls if it harnesses other forms of power such as solar to complement hydro and thermal electricity which is currently in short supply, the state-controlled Herald reported on Monday.

At last week's energy crisis workshop in Harare, officials said the country has vast untapped energy reserves which, if explored, could help turnaround the economy and solve the energy problems that have greatly affected business.

A comprehensive energy base, the experts said, would reduce power imports and enable Zimbabwe to channel its resources to other critical areas of national development, the newspaper reported.

Zesa Holdings managing director for transmission and distribution, Ernest Muchayi said Government and the private sector "should engage in serious talk on energy projects as the country was fast running out of power."

He said without a strong energy pool, Zesa would fail to efficiently service its customers thereby affecting the general progress of the country.

"It is therefore vital for the country to invest in other power substitutes such as gas and solar to supplement hydro and thermal electricity."

He said with the abundant sunshine in the country, Zimbabwe was doing little to harness solar energy.

Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre senior official, Onisious Manyere agreed and said investing in other forms of energy such as bio-fuels would provide Zimbabwe with a large pool base from which to draw its energy.

"Investing in bio-fuels will create employment as new industries emerge," he said.

Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce President Marah Hativagone said there was a need to attract investors into the energy sector.

She said a number of foreign investors had been in the country and done feasibility studies yet nothing concrete had come out of it.

"Attractive incentives for venturing into the energy sectors should be crafted to enable more investment in power generation," she said. - Sapa