Zimbabweans should adjust their energy source lifestyle and brace themselves on the use of solar power as an alternative source of power to traditional hydro power and getting rid of ever rising electricity bills by taking advantage of solar energy and install solar power systems on roofs of their houses. Comprehensive measures are needed to promote a culture of” solarization” for alternative energy source for household and agricultural power.
Electricity bills in Zimbabwe are skyrocketing almost every month as the bills double in price forcing most households to cut down trees for firewood causing land degradation and acute deforestation in nearby woodlands near towns and cities. Zimbabweans are not keen enough to invest in solar energy and installation of solar systems on their premises. Trees are felled for production of charcoal, which is then used as alternative source of energy for cooking in most urban households. Forest like Chemagora and other forests in Sanyati are heavily affected by deforestation.
“Zimbabwean households should gradually switch to use of renewable energy as an alternative source of energy for domestic consumption. It is encouraging that some members of the farming communities are switching to the use of biogas and solar as sources of power. The farming community is now using solar to pump water from reservoirs and this has saved them huge amounts of money as they used to pay substantial amounts as ZESA bills. That amount of money they paid for electricity bills is now used for other developments on farms. Solar systems may look expensive to install but it is a long time investment scheme that will give energy consumers a peace of mind” said Rabson Nyathi a farmer using solar power in Midlands Province.
Solar Installation and suppliers in Zimbabwe must be aggressive in their marketing strategies in order to lure more people in realizing the benefits of using renewable energy sources With the current skyrocketing of electricity bills and high costs of importing electricity, solar energy is the only viable route to take.
