Earlier this year, then Minister for Energy Fortune Chasi published a tweet saying that ZESA is working on a net metering program. This initiative would see those individuals who generate their own electricity sell the excess to ZESA.
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) this afternoon issued a statement announcing the program:
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) would like to advise its valued customers that the power utility has introduced the Net Metering Programme.
The Net Metering programme is a scheme where customers generating solar energy on their premises can feed excess power back into the ZETDC Network through a grid-tied inverter.
Any existing customer with a grid-tied solar system up to their rated power from ZETDC qualifies for Net Metering and can apply to connect to the grid upon completion of the relevant application forms that are obtained from their nearest ZETDC depot.
ZETDC
So what are the upsides to registering for the ZESA net metering program?
Registering for net Metering has its benefits:
- The excess generation shall be measured and credit units allocated to the generating customer rather than being fortified.
- The credited units will assist in keeping the customer in the lower tariff band thus reducing the total bill at the end of the month.
- Net Metering is beneficial to the power utility and the nation at large. ZESA will be less dependent on importing energy thus spending less foreign currency.
For those who are interested in being a part of this program, application forms can be obtained from the ZETDC website and district offices countrywide.
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9 comments
Good for extra incentive to go green if the poor power supply was not already enough of a push factor.Not sure if this is part of the package but it would be great if they thought of having a solar services division that allowed subsidized access to the components to reduce the start up costs and encourage uptake of solar energy solutions. Whole suburbs could then become power plants.
I agree with you Nyasha this a great incentive. If for instance your start up is to generate 6.5kw inverter of say 5.0kw and zesa pays 25% of that. That arrangement benefits Zesa because excess power is channeled into the grid and consumer gets credit which over time reduces to zero bill on energy. That I think would be great. Zesa could be allocated foreign currency to avail solar panels and relevant inverter components @ lower costs to those purchasing and installing solar systems.
The net metering form is unavailable on the ZESA website. Is there anywhere else I can access it
Guys don’t make me laugh. You seriously think Zesa can even consider the option of subsidising Solar components when they can’t even supply enough energy for an economy with dead industries?? Let us be serious here. I would suggest those who can manage go completely off the Zesa grid! Selling excess energy becomes more feasible now. We “kick off” some people from grid, their excess energy feeds into the grid. More people are indirectly kicked off the grid from the extra power, the little from Zesa fills up the gap, boom we all have energy 24/7!! If we have excess energy as a country we export to generate forex and re-tool our power stations.
How many solar panels and watts will I need to benefit from this Initiative?
Hi Walter, you can discuss with me offline. But essentially, the number of panels are determined by the load profile you have at home and investment you put. So the set generates power to tun your load and any excess is what you feed to the zesa grid.
App: 0782238465/6
That is unfair. Comments are ment to be responded to online for rating, feasibility, criticism, and constructive arguments.
We want to know
This is a way to find out how many house holds have solars and before u know it u will be paying some stupid fee of some sort, if u have your solar just use them buy less zesa thats all why sign up for something that will kick u in e butt.
Am totally off grid…my system is full by 11am . It supports everything. So will there be a way I can sell extra units I generate to others.