Zim targets 2,640MW renewables by 2030

TAFADZWA CHINYANGANYA

Zimbabwe is targeting to double its installed renewable energy capacity to 2,640 megawatts (MW) by 2030, in an ambitious expansion of solar power that will require substantial private investment, new financing partnerships and faster project implementation.

The target, which would lift renewable energy capacity from 1,282MW in 2025 to about 49 percent of the country’s total electricity supply, forms part of Government’s broader drive to strengthen energy security and extend electricity access, currently estimated at 62%, towards universal coverage by the end of the decade.

Speaking at the ninth session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly in India, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo said renewable energy would be central to Zimbabwe’s economic development and efforts to close its electricity access gap.

He said most of the additional capacity would come from solar projects, making investment mobilisation and collaboration with domestic and international partners critical to achieving the 2030 target.

“Government has set a target of achieving at least 2,640MW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030, up from 1,282MW in 2025, equivalent to approximately 49 percent of the country’s total electricity supply,” Moyo said.

To attract private capital, Government has introduced a range of incentives, including net-metering arrangements, duty exemptions on solar equipment and batteries, and prescribed asset status to enable renewable energy projects to access funding from domestic pension funds.

It is also offering Project Support Agreements designed to reduce investment risks and improve the bankability of qualifying renewable energy projects.

Moyo identified six strategic areas for cooperation with the ISA and private sector: mobilising affordable financing; accelerating solar generation and energy storage; expanding rural electrification; solarising agriculture and irrigation; strengthening regulatory frameworks; and developing local technical and industrial capabilities.

The investment drive comes as Zimbabwe seeks to leverage its substantial lithium resources to develop a domestic battery manufacturing industry, creating opportunities to move beyond raw mineral exports into higher-value processing and manufacturing.

Moyo said the country had started processing lithium ore into lithium sulphate, opening up prospects for investment in battery manufacturing and other downstream industries.

He urged private sector players to participate in the battery value chain, in line with Government’s beneficiation and value-addition ambitions.

Beyond utility-scale generation, Government is banking on decentralised solar systems to extend electricity access to rural communities.

Under the Presidential Solarisation Programme, launched this year, authorities are targeting the deployment of 1,2 million decentralised solar units by 2030. The programme is expected to reach 200,000 households annually, covering half of the country’s rural households.

The Rural Electrification Fund has also identified sites for as many as 440 solar mini-grids, with 100 already having undergone feasibility studies.

Moyo said 66 mini-grids, with capacities ranging from 60 kilowatts to 220 kilowatts, had so far been deployed, while further projects were under development.

Government is also seeking to integrate solar power into rural development, particularly agriculture, irrigation, water supply and community infrastructure.

Under the national borehole drilling programme, more than 35,000 villages are targeted for development, with each borehole expected to be equipped with a solar-powered water pump capable of supporting irrigation on at least one hectare of land while providing communities with clean water.

The initiative is being complemented by village and school business units intended to encourage productive energy use, stimulate agricultural output and strengthen rural livelihoods.

Government also intends to achieve universal electrification of rural schools, clinics and public facilities by 2027 through a combination of solar installations and grid extensions.

However, Moyo acknowledged that implementation of the various initiatives had been slow, underscoring the scale of the financing and execution challenges facing the programme.

He said concessional funding, risk-mitigation instruments and stronger partnerships would be necessary to accelerate project development and translate policy commitments into installed capacity.

The push is being reinforced by Zimbabwe’s partnership with the ISA, following the signing of a Country Partnership Framework agreement in August 2026 during the alliance’s Africa Regional Committee meeting in Victoria Falls.

The agreement is intended to support agricultural solarisation, policy development and capacity building.

Cooperation has also been strengthened through the launch of the Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C) at Chinhoyi University of Technology, which will focus on solar skills development, equipment testing, standards development, research and innovation.

Moyo said Zimbabwe wanted the partnership translated into a practical implementation roadmap setting out priority projects, financing arrangements, institutional responsibilities and delivery timelines.

He said the partnership’s success should ultimately be measured by additional electricity capacity installed, investment mobilised, communities electrified, irrigation schemes powered and jobs created.