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Zambia develops policy on renewable energy tariffs

Xinhua, March 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

Zambia has developed a policy on renewable energy tariffs aimed at creating a conducive environment for both public and private sector investment in renewable energy sector, the Times of Zambia reported on Wednesday.

The energy feed-in-tariff policy has been developed in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with a view to upscale the utilization of renewable energy technologies.

"It is therefore, my government's decision to develop the policy in order to create the much needed conducive environment for the effective thriving as well as fulfillment of the needs of the renewable energy industry," Charles Zulu, Deputy Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development was quoted as saying by the paper during a stakeholders' meeting on the validation of the policy.

The establishment of the policy, he said, was due to an increase in the use renewable energy in the energy mix, adding that the energy sector has faced a number of challenges such as non-existent of an enabling policy to unlock renewable technologies.

The development of renewable energy has also been affected by the high cost of equipment for renewable energy technologies, he added.

The challenges have contributed to low levels of access to electricity especially in rural areas which currently stands at 4 percent.

USAID Zambia economic team leader Anna Toness said during the same occasion that the policy will transform the energy landscape of the country by incentivizing greater production of renewable energy. Endi