THE 15th Session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly, which brought together high-level delegates including policymakers, experts and development banks, has opened up more opportunities for funding and global cooperation, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) general manager George Manyaya has said.
The meeting took place between January 12 and 13 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, under the theme; 'Accelerating the Renewable Energy Transition – The Way Forward'.
The discussions mainly focused on tripling global renewable capacity by 2030 as well as supporting transitions in emerging economies.
In an interview with NewsDay on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) held concurrently, Manyaya said the country’s participation at the forum had been necessitated by the need to court investors so as to leverage its vast clean energy potential and avert the longstanding local power crisis.
“Most African countries are facing issues on how to access financing, we have got a lot of barriers which include (investment) risk and some of the topics that were being discussed were about derisking measures and also how to come up with sound policies,” said Manyaya.
“Being present here has given Zimbabwe an opportunity to actually meet and explore several potential investors.”
The country is currently grappling with punitive power cuts, with some areas going for up to 18 hours a day without electricity.
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ZESA has attributed the power shortages to recurrent breakdowns at Hwange Thermal Power Station as well as low water levels at Kariba Hydro Power Station – two of the country’s main generators of electricity.
“We have had several meetings with various companies, which will help us progress,” said Manyaya, adding:
“We are exploring and finding ways of how to do it and the good thing is that IRENA has been able to bring partners like AFDB and the World Bank here so that they explain their templates and what they would expect and we also highlight our challenges.
“The potential of succeeding is high but you know these deals do not happen overnight, certain processes and procedures from both partners have to be met.”
Last year at the forum, ZESA, through its Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company subsidiary, signed a power purchase agreement with United Arab Emirates-based energy company Skypower to establish solar power plants to generate and feed 500 megawatts (MW) into the national grid.
IRENA director-general Francesco La Camera, who confirmed Zimbabwe’s engagement and comprehensive representation on the international arena, emphasized the need for partnerships if the world is to accelerate the energy transition and achieve climate goals.
"Renewables must remain a top global priority as the most effective way to keep climate and sustainable development goals within reach.
“The 15th IRENA Assembly provides a critical platform to navigate the energy transition, explore emerging opportunities, and identify actionable priorities for 2025 and beyond," said Camera.
