Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
VP Chiwenga said this here yesterday when he stood in for President Mnangagwa for the official opening of the sixth International Renewable Energy Conference and Expo, which ran under the theme, “Sustainable Energy Investments for a Better Future.” 
Mukudzei Chingwere in VICTORIA FALLS
SOUTHERN Africa member states are facing the same energy generation and distribution challenges, hence the need for a coordinated regional approach to overcome the problem that has the potential to curtail regional economic development, Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has said.
VP Chiwenga said this here yesterday when he stood in for President Mnangagwa for the official opening of the sixth International Renewable Energy Conference and Expo, which ran under the theme, “Sustainable Energy Investments for a Better Future.”
The Vice President also launched a comprehensive national energy policy that is now the guiding principle towards a reliable and efficient energy bank for a prosperous upper-middle income economy as envisioned by President Mnangagwa.
Central to the launched policy is the quest to drive towards a diversified energy mix, exploring solutions such as gas-to-power projects from the Muzarabani gas reserves and investigating the potential of nuclear energy.
“As a region, Southern Africa faces common energy challenges, but we also share an opportunity for collective action,” said VP Chiwenga.
“By pooling resources and enhancing cross-border energy trading, we can enhance regional energy security, reduce costs and leverage our collective strengths.
“One example of such co-operation is the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), which facilitates electricity trading across member states”.
He said efforts are underway to interconnect the SAPP with the East African Power Pool, creating new avenues for regional collaboration in energy supply and distribution.
“The Government of Zimbabwe is exploring a range of energy solutions to diversify our energy mix,” VP Chiwenga said.
He also reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s dedication to achieving ambitious targets for renewable and cleaner energy capacity and efficiency by 2030.
The energy policy launched yesterday will be the guiding principle towards efficient and reliable energy supply. Zimbabwe, for its part, is accelerating towards an empowered upper-middle income economy by 2030, and energy plays a central role in this development trajectory that is already underway.
“I am proud to announce the launch of Zimbabwe’s Energy Efficiency Policy during this conference,” said VP Chiwenga.
“This policy aims to optimise the use of existing energy resources, reduce waste and promote sustainable practices across the economy.
“Furthermore, private sector-driven projects, such as Captive Power Plants, are already underway and are expected to significantly reduce load shedding in the near future, contributing to a more reliable energy supply for all Zimbabweans”.
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