Government finalising National Energy Efficiency Policy

Patrick Chitumba, patrick.chitumba@chronicle.co.zw 

THE Government is finalising the National Energy Efficiency Policy to promote energy-saving measures and enhance the adoption of energy-efficient technologies across Zimbabwe, Energy and Power Development Minister, Edgar Moyo, has announced. 

Minister Moyo said this on Monday at the commissioning of a US$79 000 LED lighting retrofit project at Gweru Provincial Hospital. 

He said the policy seeks to unlock significant energy savings following a 2015 National Efficiency Audit conducted by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera), which identified potential savings of up to 19 percent of the country’s total energy consumption. 

“Through various strategies, the policy seeks to unlock potential energy savings estimated at 19 percent of total consumption. To date, Zera has actively promoted energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy through awareness campaigns, capacity building, regulations, and enforcement,” said Minister Moyo. 

He emphasised the importance of energy efficiency in addressing Zimbabwe’s power challenges, exacerbated by rising demand, limited local generation capacity, and constrained imports. 

Minister Moyo said energy efficiency measures are cost-effective and can serve as a “virtual power supply” for the country.

“We all appreciate that as a country, just like others in the SADC, we are experiencing power shortages. This is mainly due to a rise in electricity demand in the face of limited local generation capacity and imports,” he said. 

Minister Moyo said energy efficiency and conservation measures have proved cost-effective and have the potential to create a virtual power supply capacity in Zimbabwe. 

“We must continue to raise awareness on energy efficiency and energy management. This virtual capacity can be achieved at a much lower capital investment cost of about US$200 per kW compared to new-build projects, which cost around US$2 000 per kW,” he said.

“Furthermore, the gestation period for new-build projects is typically three to four years, hence it remains imperative for the country to deploy other intervention measures like energy efficiency and energy conservation which have a shorter implementation period.”

Minister Moyo applauded Gweru Provincial Hospital for leading the way in adopting energy-efficient lighting, which not only reduces electricity costs but also contributes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions that cause environmental hazards such as acid rain and global warming.

“As Zimbabwe moves steadily and successfully with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), the goal is to achieve the use of minimum level of energy to obtain the maximum economic output while minimising harm to people and the environment,” said Minister Moyo.

He noted the Government is reviewing the 2012 National Energy Policy to align it with current energy demands and emerging technologies. The revised policy will incorporate strategies to promote energy efficiency in households, institutions, agriculture, mining, and industrial sectors. 

Minister Moyo said once finalised, the National Energy Efficiency Policy will further strengthen the country’s drive towards energy sustainability.

“To this end, the Government is implementing several projects to entice all energy users to manage their energy consumption, and work done so far in these projects include the enforcement of the inefficient lighting product ban and labelling regulations,” he said. 

Minister Moyo said initiatives like the Gweru Provincial Hospital lighting retrofit project are crucial in reducing electricity imports and carbon emissions, contributing to national energy security.

Zera board chairperson, Dr David Madzikanda, said the Gweru Provincial Hospital project is the fourth of its kind, following similar retrofits at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, Harare Children’s Hospital, and Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.

“The project came at a cost of over US$79 000 for a full retrofit of the hospital, with a total of 2 957 lighting units being installed equivalent to 56kW. We hope to retrofit all the remaining six provincial hospitals with efficient lighting and technology in the next three years,” he said. 

Dr Madzikanda revealed Gweru Provincial Hospital’s average electricity demand was 463,47kW, with a monthly bill exceeding US$12 000. Of this, lighting alone accounted for 101,97kW, or 22 percent of the total load.

“Poor lighting levels previously made it difficult for healthcare staff to assist patients, especially at night and some areas were inaccessible due to inadequate illumination,” he said. 

“The LED retrofit project addresses these challenges, improving lighting  levels to meet international hospital standards.”

Dr Madzikanda said the lighting systems now provide 100 percent illumination across all hospital departments, achieving indoor lighting levels of 50 to 400 lux and outdoor levels above 25 lux.

“This project not only reduces energy demand but also serves as a platform for raising awareness about energy-efficient lighting technologies,” he said. 

With the Government’s support and Zera’s continued implementation of energy-saving initiatives, Zimbabwe is set to achieve significant reductions in energy consumption, operational costs, and carbon emissions.