Zimbabwe is turning to coal and gas to meet its energy demands after a severe drought drained the water supply to its hydropower plants, which generate much of the country’s electricity. This has left the Southern African nation unable to meet its power needs, as highlighted in a new climate plan the government submitted to the UN earlier this month.
The Kariba South hydropower plant, which normally generates 1,050 MW and accounts for about 40% of Zimbabwe’s electricity capacity, is currently producing only 185 MW due to the ongoing water shortages.
To address this power shortage, the government has announced plans to refurbish the aging units at the coal-powered Hwange Power Station in 2025. The upgrades aim to increase efficiency to around 40% and add 400 MW to the station’s capacity. Additionally, a new 720 MW coal plant is planned.
Zimbabwe’s energy-related emissions are expected to rise sharply until 2026, with an increase in gas-powered electricity generation and new renewable energy projects like wind and solar gradually reducing emissions after that. The government’s goal is to cut emissions per capita by at least 40% by 2035, compared to a “business-as-usual” scenario.
Kuda Manjonjo, a just transition associate at Power Shift Africa, described Zimbabwe as “a victim of circumstance.” He explained that the country, like many African nations, faces a difficult choice: provide energy to its people while lacking the financing to transition to cleaner energy sources. Zimbabwe has been hit hard by climate-related events like droughts caused by the El Niño weather pattern, which has led to higher temperatures, reduced rainfall, and depleted lakes crucial for hydropower generation.
Manjonjo, who lives in the Hwange area, shared that two years ago, the country faced blackouts lasting up to 23 hours a day. He argued that it is hard for any government to justify not using available coal resources to provide power during such times. Zimbabwe’s neighbor, Zambia, which also struggles with drought and reduced hydropower capacity, is similarly increasing its reliance on coal for electricity.
Manjonjo believes the move back to coal is part of a global failure to support energy transitions in developing countries. He pointed out that the US, the world’s largest historical emitter, is scaling back on its climate finance commitments while expanding fossil fuel extraction. Bloomberg recently reported that most projects under the US-backed Power Africa initiative to boost electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa are being terminated.
At the COP28 climate talks in 2023, countries pledged to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. However, the world’s largest emitters are expected to transition faster than poorer countries like Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s climate plan, which was the only African submission to meet the UN deadline of February 10, is seen as a sign of what other African countries may face. Climate analysts find the plan “disheartening” but see it as indicative of a broader trend where African nations are increasingly relying on fossil fuels to meet power demands. This shift was highlighted at the Mission 300 energy summit in Tanzania in January, where African leaders called for gas to help unlock the continent’s energy potential.
Green groups in Africa have criticized the summit’s support for fossil fuels, arguing that the push for gas contradicts the global growth of renewable energy. They warn that this “vicious cycle” of relying on fossil fuels to meet energy needs, only to worsen climate impacts, will continue unless more climate finance reaches developing countries.
Daniel Sithole, director of Zimbabwe’s Green Shango Environment Trust, stressed that without adequate support, the short-term economic benefits of fossil fuels will outweigh the long-term advantages of renewable energy in most African nations. He called for a global effort to provide tailored transition financing for African countries to break this cycle and move toward cleaner energy.
Related Topics: