Government is working on regulations that will ban electric water geysers and replace them with solar geysers to cut energy costs, Energy and Power Development permanent secretary Patson Mbiriri said yesterday.
BY HAZVINEI MWANAKA
Speaking at the handover ceremony for renewable energy and energy efficiency initiative at Mucheke Old People’s Home, where Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) installed six 200-litre solar water heaters worth $15 000, Mbiriri said the move is set to save about 280 megawatts.
“Currently, we have around 140 000 electric geysers installed countrywide. The objective of the ban is to save power and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as electric geysers use approximately 40% of electricity consumed at household level,” he said.
Mbiriri said the ban of electric geysers would stimulate local production of solar water geysers and create employment, adding that modern solar geysers have a lifespan of 20 years.
“Let me emphasise further that consultations on the regulations prohibiting electric geysers are still underway with relevant stakeholders. The regulations, if approved, will be mandatory on all new installations to be connected to the national grid,” he said.
“The regulations will, however, exempt building structures that are not possible, technically, to have a solar water geyser installed such as residential high rise flats.”
Mbiriri added that the country was grappling with electricity shortage, with the unavailability of foreign currency as one of the causes.
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Zera also donated food hampers and blankets to the 17 elderly people housed at the home.
Zera vice-chair Irene Jeke said the organisation was alive to the challenges of vulnerable groups in the communities.
“Mucheke Old People’s Home met the criteria to be one of the beneficiaries. We also renovated the plumbing system and the project took one year to complete and today, we are happy that our elderly are going to benefit,” she said.
