Future Energy Sources

Energy projections in Zimbabwe indicate an increasing diversity of sources, with ethanol biofuel and thermal power gaining prominence in the country’s energy mix. Biofuel production is focused on increasing national capacity for power generation and reducing the fuel import bill. The projected increase in bio-fuel is mainly based on the revival of ethanol production at Triangle Sugar Estate and new production at Chisumbanje.

Zimbabwe has a long history of ethanol production at Triangle Sugar Estate, which is valuable experience in ethanol use for power generation and fuel blending. Hippo Valley Sugar Estate, with a current 45 million litres per year capacity is another big ethanol producer, and there is potential for 45 million litres per year in Chiredzi and the 375,000 litres per day from Chisumbanje.

There is also a nascent Jatropha-based biofuel sector. In the early 2000s, Zimbabwe began a programme to encourage Jatropha seed production by small-scale farmers for biodiesel. By 2009 the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe had contracted 300 small-scale farmers, and provided 30 million seedlings to plant on about 1000 ha of land. Initial targets were to achieve 10% petroleum diesel displacement by 2017. Producers in Mtoko and Mudzi collect seeds for use as household fuel, and also use the Jatropha as a live fence to control livestock near fields and homesteads. Some community groups in the districts have acquired oil extraction machines and are producing oil for use in lighting and soap production, but there is yet to be a vibrant technology market to use Jatropha oil as fuel.

Projections for future coal use are based on the country’s significant reserves, estimated at approximately 10.6–26 billion tonnes. There is also an estimated 900 billion m³ of coal bed methane. This resource needs to be confirmed before extraction can be planned. Discussions have also taken place on use of this gas for electricity production.

Hydropower is projected to continue growing, with improvements in production capacity at Kariba Dam and the development of new potential sites, including those along the Zambezi River and rivers in the Eastern Highlands (such as the Pungwe River) and on several dams (such as Osborne Dam). The Zambezi has an additional 3840 MW of potential electricity that can be developed at three gorges upstream from Caborra Bassa Dam.

Solar energy is viewed as a potential energy resource. Zimbabwe has experience with converting solar energy for lighting through the GEF Solar Lighting Pilot Project, which ran from 1995 to 1998. The project was limited to small systems for rural households, funded through revolving loans. There continues to be a market for such systems, with demand focused on lighting, TVs and radios.

The Rural Electrification Agency installed over 61 solar mini-grid systems in schools and plans to install 500 systems nationwide. Stand-alone solar home systems have also been installed in many rural homesteads. The main reason for using solar mini-grids is to avoid grid extension and reduce the cost of rural electrification. Many urban centres, like Harare, are increasingly installing solar-powered traffic lights. Larger installations for mini-grids are planned for the next eight years.

Solar water heaters can be used for preheating water used for industrial processes. There are a few manufacturers of solar water heaters in Zimbabwe, most focusing on units for households. There are also imported units that offer higher quality finishes but at higher prices. Solar energy can also be used to dry agricultural products and for air conditioning in buildings, as seen in Harare’s East Gate shopping.

Wind energy has historically been used for pumping water, mainly for livestock. The low wind speeds in Zimbabwe meant multi-blade, low-speed machines were used, but these require heavy lifting equipment and technical skills for ongoing maintenance. Only well-established farmers or companies could own and operate them. In the mid-1990s, the country ran a project to determine wind profiles in various parts of the country. This did not generate sufficient data to produce a wind map but enabled the design and production of a wind electric machine able to operate at low wind

speeds. A company is now manufacturing these and exporting them to South Africa and as far afield as the US.

Electricity is the main source of energy for industrial and social development in Zimbabwe. The capacity to generate electricity is projected to grow for both hydropower and thermal energy (see Table 21). The growth in power generation is based on the projected increase in the demand and consumption of electricity.

Table 21. Zimbabwe’s Capacity for Electricity Generation

Power station Electricity production capacity (MW) per year

2012 2013 2014 2015

Kariba 750 1000 1050 1050

Hwange 920 1200 1520 1520

Harare 40 60 100 100

Bulawayo 60 80 90 100

Munyati 60 80 100 100

Total 1830 2420 2860 2860

Source: Government of Zimbabwe, 2011

Using the base-case scenario, the demand for electricity is projected to grow at an average rate of approximately 8% per year up to 2020. Figure 20 shows the projected supply and demand for electricity from 2009 to 2020.

It is apparent that there is the potential to embed climate change mitigation measures, such as clean technologies, within Zimbabwe’s energy sector. These measures should focus on thermal energy, which is expected to provide the bulk of electricity in the next 10 years. The anticipated growth in hydropower, biofuels, and solar energy to support a projected growth in energy demand (Figure 17) provide significant opportunities for climate change mitigation in the energy sector.

Figure 17. Projection of Electricity Demand from the Base-Case Scenario

Source: cited in AfDB, 2011