At the end of April when other areas in Zimbabwe are receiving last rains and preparing for the winter, Enock Ncube sits under a tree shade trying to take cover of the sunrays and sweltering heat. The temperatures are so high and nauseating but for Ncube and other Hwange residents they have lived by this almost all the days of their lives.
“This area is very hot region, not only in summer but throughout the year. Coal mountains are seen burning in the evening, you hear of underground coal seams too. We have no vegetation here, even our exotic trees struggle. It’s hot especially after light rains. You need to have consistent heavy rains, maybe for 3 consecutive days to cool off the temperatures,” says Ncube.
Hwange in the South-West of Zimbabwe joins other areas like Kariba, Beitbridge, Chiredzi and Lupane in receiving high temperatures during the day, with short period of cold during the winter. The Hwange case illustrates the paradox of Africa, a continent where relatively little is harvested from the sun although solar radiation abounds. A few solar projects have sprung up in the last few years on other parts of the continent, and interest in building new projects has been growing steadily in Zimbabwe.
Speaking to the Green Business Gazette, Hwange Rural District Councillor for Lukosi Ward, Ishmael Kwidini said in order to fight climate change, there is need to shift minds from fossil fuels like coal to smart solar energy.
“We have a lot of sun in Hwange; we can harvest it and convert it to solar energy. It reduces the effects of climate change and also creates employment to the locals who are earning little from subsistence farming,” says Kwidini.
Power shortages remain common throughout Africa mainly in urban areas; with the majority of rural areas including those which houses power generating plants, without electricity. Independent Power Producers (IPPs) called for protection from the Government on access to foreign currency in order to implement their projects.
Hwange has a 5MW photovoltaic solar plant in Mabale, Dete area. The work on the plant includes the construction of a 28km 33Kv transmission line. The first phase of the project, which costs US$7, 3 million, is expected to go online in August this year. The company is being funded by Old Mutual which further got a license to expand the power plant by an additional 10MW.
The Hwange initiative indicates that instated of being at the receiving end, Zimbabweans are making an effort to combat climate change. Climate finance remains the biggest challenge despite a pledge by developed countries to finance climate action projects in the ‘South’. According to the World Bank, market fragmentation, high transaction costs, perceived risks and the cost of capital are some of the obstacles holding back private investors.
“As the price of photovoltaic panels continues to decline on the international market and as solar projects start generating profits, new renewable energy markets will have a greater appeal for private investors,” says the Bank.
The Chief Finance Officer of Solgas Energy, Tafadzwa Muchinda said challenges in accessing foreign currency from the RBZ auction system to operationalise projects remain the biggest hindrance.
“We were supposed to have finished construction 9 months from November 2020. But, the flowing of funds has been limiting us and we have been struggling to get money from the RBZ auction system as IPPs,” says Muchinda.
His Excellency Honourable President Mnangagwa while commissioning the Solgas solar plant said; that was the third plant in the country to contribute electricity to the national grid.
“We encourage private players to play an important role in local investments. Local entrepreneurs can take the opportunity to support government on critical issues like electricity generation. There must be an increase in the use of renewable energy. Install solar panels on rooftops, car ports and other places to promote a green economy,” said His Excellency Honourable President Mnangangwa.
The commercialized adoption of solar energy harvesting spans a variety of applications that provide astounding amounts of energy to the world. Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels use the sun’s power to create a flow of electricity. This is the most widely adopted method of harvesting solar energy today.
The sun produces a broad spectrum of radiation of many different wavelengths, including infrared. This spectrum efficiently transfers energy to bodies that can absorb it. Solar energy harvesting technology is increasingly utilized as an alternative to electricity generated by fossil fuel. Across sub-Saharan Africa, only a couple of countries, such as Togo, provide uninterrupted electricity supply all year round.
Other solar plants in the country which are yet to be on the national grid are Chiredzi solar plant, in Masvingo Province. The power station is designed to have capacity of 90 megawatts, developed in two phases of 45 megawatts each. Its output is expected to be sold directly to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
UN Climate Action says financial resources and sound investments are needed to address climate change, to both reduce emissions, promote adaptation to the impacts that are already occurring, and to build resilience.
“The benefits that flow from these investments, however, dramatically outweigh any upfront costs,” says UN Climate Action in a statement.
UN Environment Programme notes that climate finance is critical in addressing climate change because large-scale investments are required to significantly reduce emissions, notably in sectors that emit large quantities of greenhouse gases. According to October 2019 data from the World Bank, the world will need to make significant investment in infrastructure over the next 15 years – around US$90 trillion by 2030.
