The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
A SPAIN-based company has expressed interest in partnering the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) in setting up solar farms in the city.
Over the past couple of years there has been a growing interest in investing in solar projects in Zimbabwe.
Cabinet even approved the implementation of a large-scale programme to promote the importation, local production of solar equipment and the use of solar power as an alternative energy source. According to a council confidential report, the company, Fly Servicios de Construccion of Madrid, Spain have wrote to council with the interest of carrying out a solar feasibility study in any area identified by the local authority. The company has interests in renewable energy.
“Fly Servicios de Construccion was a company based in Madrid, Spain and interest in renewable energy. The company had identified Bulawayo as a perfect destination for the development of the photovoltaic plants projects
“However, before setting up the photovoltaic plants projects, the company was seeking for council approval to conduct a solar feasibility study in any area identified by council. The developer agreed to provide all necessary services and advice for obtaining the database necessary to realise a feasibility study for photovoltaic plant of approximately 25 megawatts,” reads the report.
A photovoltaic power station, also known as a solar park, solar farm, or solar power plant is a large-scale photovoltaic system (PV system) designed for the supply of merchant power into the electricity grid. The company has reportedly already set a budget for 45 000 Euro for the feasibility study and other associated costs.
“In line with the city’s investment prospectus and the corporate strategy, with a vision to be a leading, smart, transformative city by year 2024, the city was promoting development of renewable energy projects.
According to council guidelines, when dealing with foreign investors, management has to inform councillors of these interests before submitting the proposed projects to the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency.
Meanwhile, the recently approved vehicle parking management system project is expected to give the local authority more revenue streams, with the company revealing that they were now just awaiting official communication from council for them to start installing the system. Tendy Three Private Limited was last Wednesday given the green light by Cabinet to implement their US$2 million project in Bulawayo.
The company, which won the bid in July 2020 had been awaiting the green light from Cabinet for them to start operations after the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) had submitted their papers to the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency.
In an interview, the company’s managing director, Mr Bongani Nyathi said while they now awaited official communication from the local authority, they were excited that finally the project will be implemented.
