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NewsDay

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HCC eyes 25% in renewable energy by 2025

Business
He said the projects being built by the City of Harare have to ensure they meet international standards.

HARARE City Council is working on ensuring that 25% of the city’s energy mix comes from renewable energy by 2025 in is expected to be funded by private public partnerships (PPP).

BY TATIRA ZWINOIRA

To that effect, Harare is currently working on two projects, namely, the Pomona Waste Management System that includes the setting up a biogas power plant and a solar energy plant. Combined, the two projects will generate 60 megawatts (MW) at an estimated cost of well over $100 million.

Last week at a workshop hosted by the Zimbabwe Energy Council (ZEC), the city’s director of works, Philip Pfukwa, said the solar power plant facility would be sponsored by PPP.

“The city intends to set-up at least a minimum 30MW solar power plant at one multiple use facility. The target is to ensure 25% of the city’s energy mix comes from renewable energy sources. The project is expected to be financed through a PPP,” he said.

According to ZEC, the capital city is seeking to convert the waste at Pomona as fuel for a bio-gas plant. As such, council has already shortlisted six companies who will help setup the project of which they are near to selecting one of those companies.

This particular project is estimated to cost about $80 million.

The project was thought up as a way of making use and dealing with the growing waste located at Pomona, as it continues to be a health nuisance to residents living nearby.

For the solar plant, the city is in private discussions with a private developer to develop a solar power plant in Harare and has already located barren land to set-up the plant.

ZEC says they are told the discussions are at “an advanced stage”. ZEC executive director, Panganai Sithole, told NewsDay yesterday the idea of creating renewable energy in Harare was very feasible.

“If you look at what has happened in other countries globally cities are supposed to become world class cities or global cities. What determines that a city is now world class like what City of Harare intends to do by 2025 is that it has to go green, have sustainable energy and use other inputs that it has,” he said.

“This is so that the resources they will use are not only for today but will be able to be used for generations to come. Green energy is one source of power that can easily come as an off grid power solution.”

He said the projects being built by the City of Harare have to ensure they meet international standards.