Courage Dutiro
The country’s energy regulator, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) and Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC) have urged capable institutions and individuals to embrace the renewable energy net metering way to overcome long hours of power blackouts which the province is encountering.
Renewable energy Net Metering is a system where consumers generate renewable energy at their premises and feed excess power into the national grid through a grid-tied inverter to supplement the electricity shortfall in the country.
ZERA Chief Executive Officer Edington Mazambani said net metering will help to reduce the electricity bills of consumers and it will also increase energy in the national grid.
“ZETDC is running a promotion, if a consumer joins the system this year a free meter will be provided. The system is beneficial to the consumer as it cuts electricity costs.
“So far about 6 megawatts is generated by the pro-consumers is being fed into the national grid but there are also other applications that are under consideration of about 8 megawatts. Very soon we will be having 14 megawatts from the net metering system in the national grid,” said Mazambani.
Despite Masvingo having vast resources to generate renewable energy, Mazambani said, in the province, only NatPharm has the system.
“In Masvingo we only have NatPharm but we have other 2 applications that are under consideration and we are encouraging more players to join the system,” said Mazambani.
ZETDC acting Commercial Services Manager Engineer John Chikeya said net metering is the way to zero load shedding.
“A 160 Kilowatts system like the one at Standard Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) offices can power about 200 houses, therefore if several institutions take part in the net metering system they will be able to provide power to sustain the domestic loads. So we will be having zero load shedding especially during the daytime. The system goes a long way in reducing load shedding,” said Eng Chikeya.
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 7 promotes the provision of affordable and sustainable clean energy.
