By Beverly Bizeki
In a bid to alleviate the ongoing energy crisis across the country, Masvingo City Council and Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) have entered into a partnership that could see the two institutions producing bio methane gas as an alternative source of energy for commercial purposes.
The project, which is expected to be completed in three months will be a first of its kind in Zimbabwe, putting Masvingo on the map as a green city aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere.
Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the townhouse ZOU Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Francis Mugabe said the project was aimed at introducing an alternative form of energy to Liquid Petroleum Gas which is mostly used in urban areas.
“The world is heading towards an energy crisis and Zimbabwe is not spared as evidenced by frequent and prolonged power outages. We are proposing the introduction of biomethane as an alternative energy source that can complement LPG and significantly reduce the country’s energy import bill.
“We have been mandated by our line ministry to be centers of solutions for community challenges therefore we have to produce goods and services that address community problems. As ZOU this is our initial step in contributing towards the industrialization of Masvingo,” said Prof Mugabe.
Prof Mugabe said construction of the plant was expected to be complete within three months and benefits of the gas include reduced carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere and revenue generation among others.
“Biomethane (purified biogas) is commonly produced from agricultural and municipal waste making it a renewable energy. It is a non-fossil fuel which means if correctly and consistently used, it will put Masvingo on the map as a green city striving to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere.
“The most obvious benefit is the revenue that is going to be realized from the marketing and sale of the biomethane. The partnership will also pay part of the electricity bill at the Sewage Treatment Plant. This will result in the reduction of the City Council’s electricity bill. The long term plan is to bring the electricity bill at Sewage Treatment plant to zero by commissioning biogas powered electricity generator at the plant within three years,” he said.
Prof Mugabe also said other benefits will be realized from value addition at the Sewage Treatment Plant and the improvement of the onsite city council laboratory and ZOU will have access to Research and Development facilities at the digester and biomethane plant.
Masvingo City Mayor and ward four councilor Alec Tabe said the project will contribute to council’s revenue and will help council in waste management issues.
“The project is both timely and important as it will contribute to council’s revenue as well as tackling the crucial waste management issues. The project will create employment in the city and contribute to the local GDP,” said Tabe.
The two institutions have agreed that Council will provide two digesters, land for the construction of the plant and water for use at the site.
ZOU on the other hand will be providing financial resources to acquire and commission the biogas purification and bio methane compression units as well as human resources and expertise to run the project.
