By Wallace Mawire
The proposed 150 MegaWatt (MW) Marondera solar power project in Zimbabwe has received a major boost after local company De-Green Rhino Energy entered into a partnership with Green Power, a United Kingdom-based energy company.
The strategic partnership will see Green Power investing US$160 million into the project, whose plant will be connected to the national grid, with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution (ZETDC) as the off-taker.
Apart from contributing to a constant supply of electricity, the project will also benefit the local community by creating direct and indirect employment opportunities, as well as infrastructural development.
According to Green Power chief executive, Jordan Assassa, actual civil works at the solar plant will commence in the first quarter of next year, and the target is to complete construction in 2027.
“As Green Power, we are excited to be involved in this project. It is a massive project that will benefit more than 250 000 households in Marondera and beyond. We will bring green energy to local schools and hospitals.
“This US$160 million investment into the project is proof that Zimbabwe is investor-friendly under its current leadership,” Assassa said.
De-Green Rhino Energy director, Francis Gogwe, also highlighted the prospects of the projects.
“Our partnership with Green Power is a positive for the project. It will help to boost Mashonaland East province’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while hundreds of jobs will be created, especially during the construction phase,” Gogwe said.
President Mnangagwa recently launched the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS-2), which makes it clear that priority will be placed on achieving universal access to reliable, affordable, sustainable, and clean energy for all Zimbabweans by 2030.
“Government will continue promoting the use of renewable energy resources as a primary source of energy, particularly solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. During NDS 2, the Government will also scale up investment and utilisation of other energy sources to reduce pressure on the national grid, diversify the energy mix, and strengthen national energy security.
“The participation of the private sector in power generation through Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and public-private partnerships will be facilitated. This strategic approach will increase the role of the private sector in Zimbabwe’s electricity sector, thereby enhancing sustainable and reliable energy supply.
“Government remains committed to ensuring the sustainability of IPP power purchase agreements. Furthermore, ZETDC will play the role of off-taker of last resort for excess power beyond its own use requirements, over and above maintenance of cost-reflective tariff structures that support viability and investor confidence,” the NDS-2 notes.
