By Kudzai Makuku MCIOB, MIET, PWI
Chartered Construction Manager
Can African underdevelopment be a blessing in disguise? Can we take advantage of being so far behind from first world countries?
Investment in clean energy
For a very long time African have been seen as underdeveloped and shithole in the view of USA President Trump, but it is now time to take that to our advantage, Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole desperately needs more electricity and lots needs to be done so let’s talk about clean energy solar, hydro and wind power .It is now time for Africa to take a stride into the millennium full of ideas and heavy investment in clean energy.
A good solar farm can provide more 15,000 rural homes with electricity and I strongly advice Zimbabwe to start investing in clean energy, let’s face it, all these fossil energy are drying up and the prices keep going up and up while also affecting our environment, The more we keep using these fossil energy the more risk we face in health and also long life reduces. On record fossil based power generation if the most expensive source of energy yet in Zimbabwe we keep focusing on it, Yes we have Kariba dam Hydroelectricity which seems to have been abandoned and now its running into the ground until recently by the efforts of President ED. We had started initiating good projects in regards to the solar tenders but instead the tenders where awarded to comedians and in other people’s views criminals who attained the tenders without due process or merit! How serious are we with our future? What foundation are we creating for our children’s children?
Let’s for a second talk about the vast land that we have in Zimbabwe, let’s talk about how many days we have direct sunlight? We have a potential to supply most African Countries with electricity, Yes all that needs investors but Investors hate risk whether real or perceived we must create favorable conditions that welcomes investors.
While I try to stray away from political comments it is witchcraft if we don’t give credit to the current president E.D Mnangagwa who Is driving the Zimbabwe is open for business agenda a strong signal that Zimbabwe is willing to move from the past and stride into the millennium with confidence.
Politics aside!! Do you know that the missing $15 billion in Zimbabwe that the former President R.G. Mugabe himself once announced would have been more than enough to achieve universal electricity in Zimbabwe by investing in clean energy? Solar farms, wind power farms and hydro energy. Zimbabwe has tremendous potential that we must take advantage of. We don’t want to assume that former President CDE Mugabe was using figurative speech to say we lost 15 billion as the truth remains a mystery
Wind is another renewable energy source we could invest in.
Zimbabwe cannot afford to keep depending on the coal deposits while risking the health of its citizens and slowly reducing life spans and affecting climate change , it is now time we take an approach that will benefit generations and generations to come, it is tomorrow that we must worry about and the time to set that foundation is now.
70 percent if not 90 of people in Zimbabwe are without reliable access to electricity. Zimbabwe has significant and virtually unexploited solar potential; we must start investing in these clean sources of energy if we are even going to compete with the so could first world countries. Africa is a rich nation, a blessed nation.
Can you believe that if we are to use 1 percent of Sahara for Solar energy we can power the whole world with electricity? It is time to spark an African energy revolution and lead the whole globe with transformation.
Kariba Dam: Hydroelectric technology is another opportunity we can take advantage of
We must all agree that energy is the biggest driver of economies , without reliable electricity industries suffers , Electricity have a direct impact on the economy , it affect every sector you might think of , Manufacturing , banking , health , Agriculture and of course transportation.
While some might strongly disagree I don’t believe that Zimbabwe lacks neither the finance nor even the technologies to do so, The biggest problem we face is what I call the misallocation of resources that punishes Zimbabwe and also the patriotism in matters that are vital to the economy, all that’s needed is the vital connection of international cooperation and political will .We must be willing to commerce with all nations and be prepared to move from the politics of colonisation.
It is now high time that as Zimbabweans we must think outside the box. The sun is free and inexhaustible we have very good climatic conditions that are very favorable to solar farming. We can produce vast amount of electricity with no pollution or damage to the environment securing a great future for generations and generations to come. Majority of our rural areas even towns till depend on wood for cooking which impacts our clean air and environment, think of the amount of trees we could save?
Our future is in our hands and those in the leadership positions must take the lead.
Article by
Kudzai Makuku MCIOB, MIET, PWI
Chartered Construction Manager
kudzaimakuku@ymail.com (00447463216425)
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