Regulatory framework on cards to regulate solar products

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) is crafting a regulatory framework that will guide the quality of solar products finding their way into the country as it seeks to promote investment in renewable energy sources.

This emerged at a meeting of stakeholders in the energy sector who converged in Harare for a pre-strategy meeting that will give policy direction in the formulation and improvement of a robust framework to foster stability, investment and sustainable growth in the energy sector.

Players from industry highlighted some of the hurdles and gaps they feel should be addressed including a competitive tariff regime for industry which consumes about 500 to 600 megawatts of the country’s electricity.

“We need a competitive tariff regime so that industry does not close shop. Issues of load shedding should be addressed through a schedule that is circulated,” said CZI representative, Elizabeth Boore.

ZERA chief executive officer, Eddington Mazambani highlighted some measures being put forward to promote investment in the energy sector, with the introduction of regulatory framework on the importation of solar products imminent.

“We have had concerns with the quality of solar products coming into the country. We realised that we had a gap in terms of laws to enforce on the quality of solar products.

“We are now crafting regulations to ensure products coming into the country are of high quality in terms of generation, we have now seen projects coming through for dedicated customers and projects for what we call captive customers,” he said.

The engagement also delved into power purchase agreements and the setting of tariffs for independent power producers, among other issues.

ZBC