Source: Zim eyes US investments after policy shift | The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
ZIMBABWE is ready to welcome investment in coal production from the United States after Washington announced a major shift in its energy policy by seeking partnerships with African countries in coal production.
The move by the US reverses its long-standing opposition to fossil fuel.
Speaking at the high-level Powering Africa Summit in Washington on Friday, US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright acknowledged that Western countries, including the US, have previously discouraged African nations from developing their coal resources.
He highlighted coal’s critical role in global electricity generation and economic growth.
In his remarks at the summit, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo said: “… our plea, again to the United States as Zimbabwe: release your private sector so that they can invest directly into Zimbabwe, and we have created an environment where they will earn money because their investment will be guaranteed.”
Minister Moyo said the country’s abundant coal and coalbed methane can also be effective in the agriculture industry as well.
“Power generation could be one aspect. We are an agricultural country, we want our fertilisers, so (with) any investment in that coalbed methane gas, we could end up doing our fertilisers, which we are importing right now, and as a country that believes very strongly in agriculture, that would be a good investment.
“So, coal with methane gas is abundant in most areas in Zimbabwe, in the north and in the south of Zimbabwe, like the Chiredzi area,” he said.
Minister Moyo said Zimbabwe has allowed independent power producers to operate in the country, whilst companies are free to use thermal power for their operations and feed the excess into the national grid.
In his remarks, Mr Wright said for over a century, coal has been the largest source of electricity worldwide.
“It transformed our world, extended life expectancy and created opportunities,” Mr Wright said. “Coal will continue to be the leading energy source for decades to come. That’s not a policy or a desire — it’s a reality.”
Mr Wright, a scientist with extensive experience in climate change research, acknowledged that burning hydrocarbons has contributed to global warming.
However, he argued that climate change is not among the world’s top five or even top ten problems, based on economic and scientific data.
He criticised past energy policies that prioritised climate concerns over economic development, saying they have harmed both African nations and industrial economies in the West.
The Trump administration, he stressed, will take a different approach, one that prioritises human development over rigid climate policies.
He pledged US support for African nations in determining their own energy future, including coal production.
“We want to partner with Africa in technology, capital investment and energy infrastructure. You decide what works for your people — we’ll work with you to make it happen,” he said.
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