ZERA launches free charging bays to promote more uptake of electric cars
By Caleb Chikwawawa
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has launched free charging stations for electric powered vehicles in order to promote increased uptake of a more sustainable energy source that is not harmful to the environment.
ZERA announced this at the World Consumer Rights Day Commemorations held in Harare on Monday.
The event was hosted by the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) and officiated by Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu.
ZERA engineer for renewable energy Mr Tobias Mudzingwa announced ZERA’s efforts in promoting the adoption of electric vehicles in promoting sustainability in the energy sector.
“In terms of improving sustainability in the energy sector as ZERA, you realize that sustainability in the energy sector is all about promoting global energy and also energy efficiency,” Mudzingwa said during a panel discussion which featured Environmental Management Act (EMA), Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ), and The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
“In terms of globe energy, we are promoting e-mobility in the country, that is electric vehicles (EV). We have actually put up EV charging stations.
“If you go to Gweru petrol station you find that there is an EV charging station where you can go and charge your electric vehicle free.
“We are doing those initiatives inorder to stimulate the uptake of e-mobility in the country.”
Mr Mudzingwa also said ZERA is also working on mitigating the effects of climate change through supporting the ministry of energy’s clean cooking strategy and conforming to the global targets of mitigating climate change.
“We have also alluded to the fact that 51% of our people in Zimbabwe are using firewood as their main energy source, that is they are relying on biomass, but as ZERA we have actually supported the Ministry of Energy to come up with a national clean cooking strategy which is meant to actually migrate consumers to cleaner methods of cooking so that we reduce our carbon footprint.
“We are also doing our best to ensure that we align ourselves with the global targets to mitigate climate change such as tripling of the globe energy capacity and also doubling the rate of energy efficiency by 2030.
“So this is why we have licenced quite a number of global energy IPPs, so that by 2030 at least we are able to reach the 2100 megawatt target that is put in the global energy policy,” he said.
