By ROGERS KALERO
THE Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) is aiming at generating approximately 230 Mega Watts of Solar Energy by 2027 and that it will always demonstrate keen commitment to the clean green energy transition through its investments in renewable energy, which commenced in 2018 with a pilot 1MW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) plant.
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CEC Senior Manager for Renewables, Reuben Munungwe said the Power generating company commissioned the expanded 34 MW solar power plant early this year and was in the process of constructing an additional 60 MW solar PV plant in order to meet the ever increasing demand for power
Mr Munungwe was speaking at the just ended 11th Zambia International Mining and Energy Conference and Exhibition (ZIMEC) during a case study presentation entitled “Smart Strategic Partnerships to Deliver Clean Energy to Mines
“In its effort to meet the growing demands of power and ensuring commitment to the clean green energy transition through its investments in renewable energy, the CEC is aiming at generating approximately 230MW of solar energy by 2027.”
Mr. Munungwe identified adequate financial resources, a supportive business environment, and requisite competencies of the project team, as critical success factors for the solar expansion projects.
He also revealed that CEC’s carbon offset for the Riverside Solar Project is currently at 22.6MT per annum, while for the Itimpi project it is anticipated to be at 55MT per annum.
ZIMEC 2023 was held in Kitwe at Garden Court Hotel under the theme: “Investing in Zambia: Mine to Market, Clean Energy, and the Sustainable Development of Future Minerals In June, this year, CEC Managing Director Owen Silavwe said it was necessary to build important generating and transmission facilities to address inefficiencies in the existing infrastructure in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and also help to close the energy gap Mr Silavwe disclosed that the region’s energy supply shortfall was about 5,000 Megawatts (MW) and so there was need for significant investments in the energy industry by both by the public and private investors to keep up with the growing demand in the region
Mr Silavwe said during the DRC Mining Week, that the power utility company was aware of the rising energy demand in the SADC and was doing its best to meet the growing demand in the region by investing in various forms of energy
“The region’s energy supply shortfall is about 5,000 MW. To help close the energy gap, it is necessary to build important generating and transmission facilities and address inefficiencies in the existing infrastructure in the region.
“To assure quality and dependability in the face of climate change, an energy mix must be achieved based on an effective mix of renewable battery storage and dammed hydro plants,’’ Mr Silavwe said
Mr Silavwe, who urged Governments in the region to begin enacting frameworks to support hydro renewables conjunctive operation, also emphasised on the need for coordinated efforts in the transition to green energy sources
At the conversation, which was focused on the contribution of the SADC mining sector to the global energy transition, Mr Silavwe said consideration must be made on how the mining sector can closely work with the energy sector to support project bank ability for power projects.
“This is in view of the focus by governments in the region looking to use their balance sheets to address pressing social-economic needs, making the traditional mechanism of basing project bank ability on sovereign guarantees an enviable option going forward” he said.
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