.China Energy Engineering Group has suggested constructing a 1,000-megawatt floating solar farm for Zimbabwe that would cost close to US$1 billion
.The Lake Kariba project would utilize more than 1.8 million solar panels spread across 146 modular floating modules
.Zimbabwe is experiencing severe electricity shortages that have led to blackouts lasting for nearly 12 hours each day
Harare- On the biggest artificial lake in the world, China Energy Engineering Group has suggested constructing a 1,000-megawatt floating solar farm for Zimbabwe that would cost close to US$1 billion. If the project on Lake Kariba were to proceed, more than 1.8 million photovoltaic panels would be installed over 146 modular floating units, according to an official report that was created for the state's power utility and potential private equity funders by the company.
Due to low water levels that have hindered generation from a hydropower project on Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe is experiencing severe electricity shortages that have led to blackouts lasting for nearly 12 hours each day. Frequent malfunctions at the Hwange thermal power plant have made the issue worse. According to the presentation, China Energy has erected floating solar panels in Thailand and on China's Dingzhuang River. According to the International Energy Agency, interest in these projects has grown recently. They prevent land competition and may be able to lower reservoir evaporation. The project's power might eventually be used by mining operations, lowering the nation's carbon emissions.
Unit 8 going live in October
The power expansion initiative at Hwange is underway, and this proposal by China Energy Engineering Group came in at the right time. With around 300MW anticipated by June 2023 and Unit 8 anticipated by October, Hwange Unit 7 has already been synchronized with the national grid. According to what was promised, Unit 8, the second 300MW facility, will go online in October. Whatever the case, the US$1.4 billion was money well spent. Regionally, Zambia is also experiencing power challenges and the nation has resolved to solar energy as an alternative, signing a US$2bn deal with the UAE. Solar power has been mentioned as a potential solution regionally and for a country like Zimbabwe with sun throughout the whole year this comes as welcome news.
Zambia
Zambia signed a joint development agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to obtain a US$2 billion investment, marking a significant advancement in the country's efforts to boost its renewable energy resources. The agreement establishes the framework for a joint venture between the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco) and MASDAR, an organization that provides investment finance in the UAE, to develop and implement solar projects throughout the country of Southern Africa. Hakainde Hichilema, the president of Zambia, stated that the deployment will take place in phases and will start with the installation of 500MW of PV (photovoltaic) panels to supply the national grid.
Due to low water levels and insufficient ability to generate enough electricity to fulfil demand, Zambia now has a deficit of electricity. To prevent a power catastrophe, according to Hichilema, the nation needs to utilize a variety of energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydropower. Due to the low water levels, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), which oversees the Kariba dam and the nation's primary hydroelectric facility, has instructed Zesco to decrease electricity production from 1080MW to 800MW.In conclusion, the promotion of these floating solar panels is good news for a nation like Zimbabwe that is experiencing power problems.
Equity Axis
