China Zimbabwe Energy Cooperation Helps Zimbabwe's Sustainable Development (China Africa Cooperation in the New Era)

The Nyabira solar photovoltaic power station has successfully connected to the grid for power generation, and the expansion project of the Kariba South Bank hydropower station is known as the "hematopoietic project". The rapidly deployed small micro photovoltaic stations have lit up one remote mountain village after another in Zimbabwe... In recent years, Chinese companies have joined hands with local partners to actively participate in the construction of Zimbabwe's energy infrastructure and help promote sustainable development in Zimbabwe.

Edgar Moyo, the Minister of Energy and Power Development of Zimbabwe, stated that China's relevant experience in the field of energy and power is worth learning and drawing on for Zimbabwe. Thank you to the Chinese government and enterprises for their support of Tianjin's development. We welcome more Chinese enterprises to participate in the investment and construction of Tianjin's energy and power sector.

Photovoltaic power station put into operation, breaking through the bottleneck of power generation

At the Nyabira Solar Photovoltaic Power Station located on the outskirts of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, thousands of photovoltaic panels move day by day, absorbing sunlight to the maximum extent possible for energy storage and power generation.

On September 27th, the Nyabira 23 MW Phase II project, undertaken by the Hydroelectric 11th Bureau under China Power Construction Group (hereinafter referred to as "China Power Construction"), was successfully connected to the grid for power generation, marking the official operation of Zimbabwe's largest tracked photovoltaic power station. In addition to the 2 MW Phase I project that was completed and put into commercial use in August 2019, this photovoltaic power station will effectively meet the electricity needs of approximately 75000 households.

Zimbabwe is located in southeastern Africa with an annual sunshine duration of over 3000 hours, making it suitable for the development of photovoltaic power generation. According to the Zimbabwe Energy Authority's estimation, the potential for solar photovoltaic power generation in the country is about 109 gigawatts. However, due to financial and technological constraints, the total installed capacity of photovoltaics in Zimbabwe is relatively limited, and the proportion of photovoltaic power generation in the national energy supply is relatively low.

During the peak period of construction of the Nyabira solar photovoltaic power station, about 500 local Zimbabwean employees were employed, many of whom have become business backbones. This is the first commercial photovoltaic power station in our country, and I am proud to work here. "27 year old Kriva is an electrical engineer for the Nyabira solar photovoltaic power station project, working on monitoring equipment and data storage. I have learned a lot of professional skills and improved my work ability from my Chinese colleagues. Our cooperation is very pleasant! "Said Kriva.

Duan Tao, the country representative of China Power Construction Corporation in Zimbabwe, introduced that in order to actively respond to the new demand for energy and electricity development in Zimbabwe, China Power Construction Corporation has successively signed contracts to undertake 5 local photovoltaic projects with a total installed capacity of 180 megawatts, providing feasible solutions for the adjustment of Zimbabwe's energy structure and ensuring energy security.

The Zimbabwe Herald reported under the title "The Key to Energy Transition" that "photovoltaic power generation is becoming an important supplement to Zimbabwe's hydropower shortage. The Nyabira solar photovoltaic power plant project is a landmark project in Zimbabwe's energy transition, setting a benchmark for more photovoltaic projects and injecting new impetus into Zimbabwe's power development

Expand hydroelectric units to enhance self-sufficiency

Kariba Lake is one of the largest artificial lakes in Africa, located between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was formed by a dam intercepting the Zambezi River in the Kariba Gorge, with a maximum water storage capacity of 185 billion cubic meters and excellent hydroelectric power generation conditions. As early as the 1950s and 1960s, the south bank unit of the Kariba hydropower station with a total installed capacity of 750 megawatts had already been built. This installed capacity has undergone several expansions, but due to severe equipment aging, the actual power generation capacity is less than 700 megawatts.

In 2018, after the completion of the Kariba South Bank Hydropower Station expansion project undertaken by China Power Construction, the original installed capacity of the hydropower station was increased by 300 megawatts, significantly reducing Zimbabwe's power gap. Since its commissioning, the power generation efficiency of the expanded units has far exceeded the design specifications, generating a total of 3.71 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and creating $480 million in economic benefits for the local area.

With the assistance of Chinese enterprises, the Kariba South Bank Hydropower Station has revitalized, not only contributing to ensuring safe power supply in Zimbabwe, but also driving the development of surrounding areas in all aspects as the largest water conservancy project after Zimbabwe's independence.

Samuel Ndanger, former Minister of Energy and Power Development of Zimbabwe, praised this project endlessly: "Chinese companies have helped expand the capacity of hydropower stations, benefiting the people of Zimbabwe, as well as vast areas of urban and rural areas

The social effects brought about by the expansion project are also significant. It is reported that the project has created over 3000 job opportunities in Zimbabwe and trained hundreds of technical personnel. China Power Construction also donated to build a primary school for the local area, which was unanimously praised by the local government and the public.

Bimha was once the safety supervisor of the Kariba Nan'an Hydropower Station expansion project. He said, "The Kariba Nan'an Hydropower Station expansion project has allowed me to accumulate valuable work experience and has also given me more confidence to continue working in the clean energy industry. My career is thriving and my life is becoming more prosperous

Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa stated that the expansion project of the Kariba South Bank hydropower station has greatly enhanced Zimbabwe's self-sufficiency in electricity. On behalf of the Zimbabwean government, I would like to express our gratitude to China. China's support and assistance are of great significance to Zimbabwe. The delivery of this project means that Zimbabwe will save a large amount of electricity import expenses for infrastructure construction and domestic development. This is a true hematopoietic project that will benefit the Zimbabwean people in the long run! "Said Mnangagwa.

Small micro photovoltaic stations light up remote villages

After a series of renovations and upgrades, the situation of power outages and restrictions in most parts of Zimbabwe has significantly decreased, but remote mountain villages that are not covered by the power grid are still in a state of power shortage. In 2022, China Power Construction signed a contract for the Zimbabwe microgrid solar photovoltaic project, which mainly includes technical guidance for the design, procurement, installation, and commissioning of 33 small microgrid sites. Currently, 27 sites have been put into operation.

Each small micro photovoltaic station covers an area of only about 100 square meters, but it is enough to light up the entire community. These small micro photovoltaic stations have enabled several remote villages in Zimbabwe to bid farewell to diesel generators and switch to environmentally friendly and efficient solar energy, which has been warmly welcomed by the public.

Tyrant, the technical director of Zimbabwe Rural Electrification Fund, the project owner, said that with the gradual operation of small and micro photovoltaic stations, more rural residents in Zimbabwe have access to clean energy, effectively alleviating the local power shortage problem. We hope that more partners will join the ranks of developing small micro photovoltaic sites to jointly promote sustainable development and green transformation in Zimbabwe.

The small micro photovoltaic station meets the electricity needs of the local people and has also trained a group of skilled equipment installers. A cabinet sized photovoltaic cell can store over 500 kilowatt hours of electricity, enough for several nearby villages to use for three days. The photovoltaic site is noise free, energy-saving and environmentally friendly, with simple wiring and easy maintenance. The energy storage system is more durable and long-lasting, which is an advanced equipment we have never encountered before. "said Lewis, a Zimbabwean employee of the project. During the installation process, he and many colleagues learned new knowledge and technologies, and were able to independently carry out installation and maintenance work, possessing a technical expertise.

Teaching people how to fish is also teaching them how to fish. This is a true win-win cooperation, "said Raston Mukalo, the director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe. China has engaged in long-term cooperation with African countries in various fields such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and manufacturing, which has driven and cultivated a large number of talents and made positive contributions to the independent development of African countries.

"More and more Zimbabwean students come to China to study for advanced studies, and more and more Chinese enterprises go to Zimbabwe to invest and start their businesses. The high-quality joint construction of the the Belt and Road has promoted exchanges and cooperation between Zimbabwe and China in all fields and at all levels, and has closely linked the two peoples."