Story by Tafara Chikumira
THE Rural Electrification Fund’s (REF) biogas digesters project is progressing well with Anderson High School in Gweru set to benefit from two digesters being set up by the government at the institution.
The biogas digesters project is part of the Second Republic’s Vision 2030 accelerator model aimed at providing alternative sources of energy from the national grid and solar in rural communities as part of the government’s inclusive development approach.
The project, which harnesses energy from bio-material, is progressing well at Anderson High School with contractors confident to finish the project by end of next month.
“We started this project in June. The timeframe should be 50 days so we are saying we should be done by the end of September.
“We are also having similar projects at Hama High School in Chirumanzu as well as Pakame High School in Shurugwi,” said Midlands Provincial Rural Electrification manager, Engineer Silbah Zimwara.
The school authorities are anticipating huge spin-off benefits from the energy project.
“We would like to thank the government for coming up with this noble project. Our electricity bills will certainly go down.
“This means that our school fees will also go down thereby lessening the burden on the parents. The biogas digesters will also produce water which we will use for our gardening and fisheries,” said for Anderson High School Head, Mr Caxton Mukasvanga.
The government is equally excited by the project which feeds into the country’s economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1.
“The energy sector is one of the major drivers of our national development. The climate change-induced drought requires us to make a shift to alternative sources of energy away from relying on hydropower generation.
“I commend the President for rolling out this project at institutions as this helps to reduce demand on the national grid and reduce the electricity bills at the institutions,” Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Owen Ncube said.
The biogas digester project is part of the Second Republic’s rural industrialisation energy generation model which seeks to pursue a clean and safe environment in line with Sustainable Development Goal number seven on affordable and clean energy.
