The sixth edition of the International Renewable Energy Conference &Expo will be held in Victoria Falls this week at a time the region is seeking solutions to acute power shortages, which are crippling economies.
Organised by The Standard in conjunction with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, the conference has grown in stature since inception in 2019 to become a premium gathering for renewable energy policy makers, experts, financiers and investors.
Zimbabwe and other southern African countries are increasingly investing in renewable energy due to their abundant natural resources and the need for reliable energy access for a rapidly growing population.
To mitigate power challenges, experts have been urging individuals and companies to diversify into alternative renewable energy sources, while also advocating for increased support for Independent Power Producers.
The conference in Victoria Falls from April 8 to 11 will run under the theme Sustainable energy investments for a better future.
Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) CEO Kenias Mafukidze said two renewable energy projects will be launched during the conference.
AMH are the publishers of The Standard, NewsDay, Southern Eye and Zimbabwe Independent newspapers as well as proprietors of tele radio station, HStv.
Mafukidze said there were new topics that will feature at the conference covering latest innovations in the renewable energy space.
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“The issue of battery, battery value chain is also going to be topical, so those in lithium mining and so forth are highly encouraged to attend,” he said.
“The other areas that are also topical, which have not featured in the previous editions, are areas of biomass and waste-to-energy, which are now topical.
“We expect waste-to-energy, Geo Pomona, to take center stage and share more information and give us a case study of their project.
“We also expect carbon markets to be topical because it's a new area, it's a new frontier, which we are not very well-versed in, and we expect experts that are coming to give us more information about carbon markets.
“The two projects that will be officially launched are being championed by South Pole Consulting, which is a renewable energy company, partly based in Zimbabwe and then Namibia as well.”
Kholwani Nyathi, editor of The Standard and AMH editor-in-chief, said the conference provides a global platform for government ministers, high-level decision makers, experts, and private sector players to exchange their vision, experiences, and solutions to scale up renewable energy.
“As Alpha Media Holdings, through The Standard, we are proud to have embarked on this journey with our partners six years ago,” Nyathi said.
“This year’s theme, ‘Sustainable Energy Investments for A Better Future’ was strategically chosen to ignite conversations at a time when the region is embarking on a journey to broaden its options by diversifying the energy mix and harnessing renewable energy sources.”
He noted that the conference will mainly focus on the advancement of clean technologies and renewable energy.
“As we prepare for this year’s edition of this major conference, it is worth reflecting on what has been achieved to date and to chart a way forward with all like-minded partners that want to advance the clean technology sector and renewable energy in particular,” Nyathi said.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the patron of the conference.
Some of the speakers to grace the event include Energy and Power Development minister July Moyo, and his deputy, Yeukai Simbanegavi and the ministry’s permanent secretary Gloria Magombo.
Ministry of Skills Audit and Development permanent secretary Rudo Chirisa, Artificial Intelligence Institute Africa chairman Dennis Magaya, Zera’s research and energy efficiency engineer Victor Sibanda, and Unesco renewable energy specialist Malvern Matongo are also going to make presentations.
Other speakers include European Union ambassador Jobst von Kirchmann, Old Mutual Zimbabwe group chief executive officer, Samuel Matsekete, Rural Electrification Fund acting CEO, Felistas Makumbinde, Geo Pomona engineering manager, Amos Kapenzi, Zera engineer for renewable energy, Tobias Mudzingwa and SouthPole Consulting founder and director Tendai Musasa.
The conference will also be graced by the presence of international guests, likes of the Founder and Executive Director o
Other high profile guests would be Anchor Coalition (USA) founder and executive director, Willam Taylor, Marilyn Grimett from Harmattan Renewables (SA), Jinko Solar head of ESS technical (Kenya) Titus Koech and chief vice president of project development and funding for Genesis Energy Group (UK), Melissa Sikwala.
Some of the issues to be discussed include women in renewable energy, carbon credits trading, electric vehicles, circular economy, and clean energy processes for the industrial sector.
Other topics include accelerating green jobs, investment in green energy infrastructure, battery value chains, financing the climate stack, youth and innovation, and artificial intelligence.
