International Renewable Energy Conference & Expo 2024: Govt identifies huge wind energy potential

By Tatira Zwinoira | Mar. 1, 2024

Speaking during the three-day 2024 International Renewable Energy Conference Expo hosted by The Standard in Victoria Falls, Ziuku said given its potential, there was a need for concerted effort to ensure wind power generation was explored.

The Energy and Power Development ministry’s renewable energy director Sosten Ziuku says wind energy largely remains untapped despite its potential to generate 228 megawatts (MW) of power.

This comes as the country has an installed capacity to generate 2 412 megawatts (MW) but only has an operating capacity of 1 400MW, against peak demand of 1 900MW and an average deficit of over 500MW.

“Wind energy technology has largely remained untapped and underutilised in Zimbabwe despite the fact that we were among the first in Africa in the 1970s and early 1980s to promote the use of wind turbines for water pumping systems,” he said.

“Therefore, there is a need for concerted effort to ensure that we tap into this underutilised resource.”

The 228MW potential was derived from a 2014-15 Wind Assessment by the International Renewable Energy Agency, according to the ministry.

In it, the agency identified five sites that were selected at the request of the Energy and Power Development ministry, in which prefeasibility studies for wind power generation were done.

Based on this study, the average windspeed of between 6,2 metres per second (m/s) to 7,1m/s was identified to have the 228MW potential.

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Ziuku said what was needed was a wind resource assessment for all the potential sites in the country to come up with a wind resource assessment map for Zimbabwe to identify those potential sites.

He added that this would need to be accompanied by bankable wind energy projects as well as the development of a roadmap that would guide the development and implementation of wind energy.

The official also said extensive research and development were key to realising wind energy power generation as well as partnerships with development finance institutions and the private sector for financial assistance.

Ziuku said the ministry received technical assistance from the African Development Bank for the period 2022 to 2025 to identify sites to create wind farms.

“Among other projects, the ministry has begun a project on wind power ground-based measurements for eight sites dotted across the country. Sites have been identified. The ministry has engaged formally with the local authorities where these sites are located. EOI [expression of interest] and RFP [request for proposal] to identify suitable consultants for the project was done last year (2023),” he said.

“Procurement of the consultancy (is) now at the final stage of negotiation. Implementation of the project is expected to start in the second quarter of 2024. The project will run for 12 months and is expected to end in 2025. Suitable sites (will) be auctioned to project developers under a new competitive bidding framework.”

This project will conduct site assessment of the eight proposed sites for suitability of the establishment of wind farms to design appropriate technology for measuring and recording wind at a height of 80 to 100 metres at each proposed site.

“Installation of appropriate technology for data collection for at least 12 months and analysis of wind energy potential to ascertain power that could be generated at each site. This should conform with Ema [Environmental Management Agency] requirements,” Ziuku said.

“(There will also be) detailed feasibility studies on the proposed sites, including any grid reinforcement that will be needed to connect the plant to the grid.”

The Standard is one of three publications under the private media house Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), with the other two being the daily NewsDay and weekly, Zimbabwe Independent.

AMH also owns the web-based broadcaster, Heart & Soul.

The expo was also being held in support of the Energy and Power Development ministry.