Establishment of the SADC Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE) has been approved by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministers for Energy. This was done recently during the 34th SADC ministers for Energy meeting.
After approval for the establishment of the SADC Center for Renewable Energy, The Republic of Namibia was chosen as the Host to the Center. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) were applauded for their input in the establishment of the Center.
The Meeting which was chaired by the Minister of Energy and Power Development from Zimbabwe Dr. Samuel Undenge was officially opened by Tina Joemat-Pettersson, the Minister for Energy in South Africa. This particular meeting had the objective of noting the various progressions, make decisions and give guidance for implementation of the SADC Programme. This programme would help in the facilitation and coordination of sufficient, reliable, low cost energy services in the SADC Region.
Another factor discussed was the supply and demand of energy in the region with concern on the shortfall of 8247MW.
Energy ministers present noted that the SADC Region plans to commission 2763MW in 2015 in Republic of Congo 430MW, Mozambique 205MW, South Africa 1828MW, Tanzania 150MW, Zambia 135MW and Zimbabwe 15MW.
There will also be installation of an additional 24062MW by 2019 in the region in order to address the 70 percent deficit through renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind and hydro power.
The projects being given focus at the moment include Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) Interconnector; Mozambique-Malawi Interconnector and the Namibia-Angola Interconnector.
The ministers noted that currently, Tanzania and Namibia are the only countries to have reached cost effective tariffs.
