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Emmah Chinyamutangira Manicaland Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) is keen to double the country’s global rating in terms of improvement in energy efficiency and facilitating access to clean energy research and technology.

Speaking during a ZERA workshop held in Mutare recently, ZERA senior engineer Samuel Zaranyika said they wanted to promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technologies, as well as upgrading technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services.

“We want to double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency and increase energy efficiency of electrical appliances by setting minimum energy performance standards,” he said.

“There is need for greater investment in electricity generation and this investment is reflected in electricity tariffs and also an increase in households. Low efficiency appliances flooding the market and cheap low-efficiency appliances result in increased household electricity costs and higher demand for electricity.

“We encourage importers and local manufacturers to import and manufacture the most economically efficient products.”

Eng Zaranyika said the regulator also wanted to change the mindset of consumers to consider long-term energy costs so that they create demand for more efficient models and reduce proliferation of low efficiency models.