The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) says efforts are being made to explore wind power generation alternatives in an effort to minimise the country’s energy deficit and supplement present power supplies anchored by thermal and hydro sources. The country has substantial wind potential with average wind speeds of 4 to 6 metres per second in many regions and this has the potential to mitigate the country’s energy shortages.
In an interview with Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority CEO Edington Mazambani, he said, “There is a wind potential map for the country, which was done by the International Renewable Energy Agency, which shows pockets within the country that have the capacity to generate electricity from wind. “Areas like Somabula have good wind speeds for power generation; areas like Chipendeke in Manicaland are another area where wind speeds are considered appropriate for power generation,” he said.
These areas are still to be explored by potential investors, but at the moment, there is Dinson Iron and Steel and Tatanga Energy. For Dinson Iron and Steel, a subsidiary of Tsingshan Holdings, it intends to invest around US$250 million towards the construction of a 100 MW wind farm in Mamina, Mhondoro Ngezi District, Mashonaland West Province, which will provide the company with sufficient operational electricity.
The project is managed by Centragale (Private) Limited, which will construct, own, operate, and maintain the turbines, which are estimated to have a life duration of more than 30 years in terms of replacement. The project will be connected to the grid through a 30-kilometer 132kV Double Lynx line running from the Centragale Wind Power Plant to the proposed Dinson 330/132/33 kV Substation.
Zimbabwe’s government is dedicated to boosting the usage of renewable energy. Zimbabwe has vowed in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement to boost the amount of renewable energy in the total energy mix to 40% by 2030.
Wind power is a clean and renewable energy source that can assist Zimbabwe in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and it is a relatively low-cost and steady source of electricity. It is likely to play an important part in assisting Zimbabwe in meeting its NDC target, with the government aiming to grow wind power capacity to 1,000 MW by 2030. Wind energy would thus become a significant contributor to Zimbabwe’s energy mix, helping to reduce carbon emissions.
