Science and Technology minister Heneri Dzinotyiweyi says there is need for the introduction of incentives and regulatory framework that will increase the usage of renewable energy in the country.
Renewable energy is a term used to describe energy that is derived from resources like the sun and the wind — which are continually available.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe Energy Council breakfast meeting in Harare on Wednesday, Dzinotyiweyi said: “What people want to see now is more of regulations that will make an indirect push to make people use renewable energy and that has to do with incentives.”
He said limited finance was the major factor stopping industry from having a keen interest in solar energy.
“It’s unavoidable. We are going towards that (solar) and if we don’t, we make ourselves depend too much on non-renewable energy,” he said.
Dzinotyiweyi said not much had been happening in terms of policies and regulations, adding that for the country to increase uptake of renewable energy, cost reduction measures and incentives should be implemented.
He said since 1984 the same recommendations to strengthen the policy on renewable energy have been mentioned, but had not being implemented.
“We have a big problem. Things don’t move adequately in the government. They move too slowly,” he said.
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Embassy of the Republic of Germany Harare counsellor Peter Primus said renewable energy required a lot of funding and costs were borne by the consumer.
“Scheme of incentives is important; be it in the form of grants or loans, so that the share of renewable energy is increased,” he said.
He added that Zimbabwe was destined for solar energy due to its access to extended periods of sunshine.
Stakeholders that attended the meeting said the enactment of relevant legislations could spur growth in the use of renewable energy.
