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UNZA DON CALLS FOR SOLAR ENERGY INVESTMENT

A University of Zambia (UNZA) researcher has said there is urgent need of a Solar power plant in Zambia.

He said Zambians should embrace the use of Solar energy as an alternative means of energy .

Professor Prem Jain was speaking during a stakeholder dialogue meeting organised by the Swedish embassy at the University of Zambia where he stated that the use of Solar in Zambia is growing rapidly.

Prof. Jain said there is need to embrace the use of Solar energy and other renewable sources in order to prevent pollution and negative effects on climate change.

He added that the prices of renewable energy sources like solar have reduced drastically in the last 50 years from $70 per watt to about half a dollar per watt.

Prof. Jain further stated that Solar energy is now competing with other sources of energy and should be regarded as a corner stone for sustainable development.

He said it is the economy which is driving the need for solar energy not subsidies and other policy issues.

Currently, Zambia is emitting about fifty billion tons of fuels and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which come from oil, fuel and gas said the Professor.

“Mitigation to the situation is to reduce the use of fossil fuels and shift to the use of renewable energy which include solar, hydro, bio-mass and wind among others,” he explained.

Meanwhile, speaking at the same gathering, Prof. Francis Yamba linked the recent low water levels in the Kariba dam to drastic climate change experienced in the country and other surrounding regions.

“The Kariba is the overall driver of hydro power energy and it is highly vulnerable to future potential changes of climate,” He said.

He added that the expansion of dam is unlikely to deliver the expected results due to climate change.

Prof. Yamba expressed regret in the fact that despite hydro power generation contributing positively towards the country’s development it negatively affects irrigation capabilities in Mozambique.

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