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Jeffrey Gogo Climate Story
THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has begun the process of tendering for the equipment needed to set up the country’s first solar testing laboratory, according to chief executive Engineer Gloria Magombo. The $200 000 lab — a joint partnership with the national quality control overseer, the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) — aims to combat the flurry of fake solar energy components onto the domestic market.

At the laboratory, quality will be tested on solar PV panels, batteries, charge controllers and inverters, for both industrial and domestic use. The lab will be backed by new laws from the energy regulator that aim to stop all manner of solar energy equipment policy, retail, or import abuse. Solar photovoltaic (PV) is the technology that converts energy from the sun into electricity.

“We have started working on the procurement process (for the lab equipment),” Engineer Magombo said, in an interview. “Initially, we sent out experts to countries where such laboratories exist to identify the kind of equipment needed for our own lab.

“Having done that, and together with SAZ, we have now come up with the terms of reference of what is required. This will go through a tendering process, then procurement.” A laboratory of this nature will likely consists of several different machines for testing the various solar components.

It’s timing is almost perfect. Zimbabwe is vigorously pursuing the development of on-grid solar not only as part of efforts to meet up with global demands for cleaner energies in a warming climate, but also to diversify from thermal — constantly faltering, short-changing domestic needs.

Through 2020, the country is targeting to bring at least 300 megawatts of solar online, funds permitting, according to ZERA, which has licensed producers to build three solar power plants of capacity 100MW each in the south-west. The plant will cost around $635 million.

Now, while off-grid solar is already widespread, with dozens of thousands of Zimbabwean households using it for lighting, heating and cooking, there has been concern most of the imported solar components are of a poor quality.

Importers have abused a law allowing for duty-free import of solar equipment — an otherwise noble policy targeted at boosting local energy supply — as well as the lack of quality control, to bring in counterfeit

But consumers don’t know this at purchase. Consumer protection body, the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe, has reported cases of users complaining they were sold fake batteries and other consumables.

The ZERA/SAZ solar testing laboratory is thus a welcome attempt at stopping deceitful importers and retailers from cheating unassuming end-users. Engineer Magombo said in a previous interview that with a solar energy penetration rate of only 18 percent, solar could grow big in Zimbabwe, but so will abuse.

“Currently there are no control measures in place to regulate the solar products on the market,” she said, then. “However, the regulations which ZERA is developing will include standards,” making it mandatory “for importers and retailers to conform to the stipulated minimum quality standards” of all solar equipment sold domestically.

Identifying a counterfeit is not easy. The naked eye deceives. But when tested, any fake will falter. It may fail to meet the specified product requirement, for instance, battery life span, power output of the solar panel and general system lifespan.

Currently, quality on solar is controlled through four SAZ standards implemented between 1993 and 1999. The standards cover PV panels, batteries, charge controllers, and design, sizing and installation of battery-based PV systems.

Certification is voluntary, however. There is no guarantee that the supplier looking for a quick buck, looking to maximise profits will care to go for quality control, or any form of standardisation.

Engineer Magombo is hoping ZERA’s new regulations will build on SAZ’s existing standards, tightening the screws to prevent fakes, she said previously. It remains unclear how the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority will enforce its plans to ensure compliance by everyone on quality, not to mention pricing.

SAZ says it does not monitor nor is it mandated to control quality on solar equipment. That’s the Government’s job, and one reason the Association is pushing for a statutory quality control board.

According to the standards body, not a single solar product is licensed on its voluntary Product Mark Certification Scheme. In other words, no one has been willing to quality check their products, for obvious reasons.

In future, ZERA will accredit suppliers of authentic renewable energy equipment, and the information released to the public. Notwithstanding, Zimbabwe’s contribution to the global goal of climate change mitigation will be built around renewable energy. And solar is a key component of that plan.

But despite its potential, solar has struggled to take off in Zimbabwe, which has one of the highest solar radiations in the world. The National Energy Policy of 2012 lays out plans for expanding solar, hydro and biofuels by end of this decade.

All new homes and commercial buildings will be required to use only solar geysers. That was due for enactment beginning 2013. It did not happen. The NEP targets “cost-reflective feed-in tariffs with appropriate subsidy mechanisms” as an incentive to boosting solar energy generation.

The waiting continues.

God is faithful.

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