latter supplying 18,5MW to the national grid in June this year.
In a statement, Green Fuel general manager Mr Graeme Smith said the supply would commence this winter.
Energy will be fuelled from Green Fuel’s Bagasse boiler in Chisumbanje.
Bagasse is fibre left over after the juice has been squeezed out of sugarcane stalks.
“We are hoping to start the power feed this July after the commissioning of our ethanol plant.
“We have also concluded arrangements for three of these Bagasse fuelled power plants in the next phase of our ethanol project, two at Chisumbanje and one at Middle Sabi, bigger in capacity and each with an output of 35MW,” said Mr Smith.
Green Fuel is set to produce ethanol from sugar cane and electricity as one of its major by-products.
“Bagasse at Chisumbanje will be fed into the boiler to burn and generate electricity in sufficient quantities to power the whole plant while excess is fed to Zesa,” he said.
Mr Smith said his company’s subsidiary operating in Hwange was set to put up between five and 10 coal fired power stations.
“We have built one power station already and managed to design 65 percent of the components locally.
“We are therefore confident of a successful rollout programme for these power stations,” he said.
The deal is a first major private sector power injection into the national grid that will see power distribution in the whole of Manicaland.
The US$600 million ethanol plant project will be commissioned in next month.
In 2014 it is anticipated that it will be churning out 45MW with 35MW going to the national grid while the other 10 MW will be used at the plant and sugar estates.
The project is also expected to produce 850 000 litres of fuel when fully operational in 2014.
Experts say Zimbabwe requires about 1,5 million litres of fuel per day and around 270 million litres in six months.
About 11 500 hectares of sugarcane is needed this year, 16 000 hectares next year and 21 000 hectares by the end of 2013 to achieve the projected fuel production.
Green Fuel’s agreement with Zesa comes at a time when the country is experiencing inconsistent power supplies.
“The power purchase agreement is a timely boost on the power utility’s dwindling stocks.
“Current load shedding has impacted negatively on the pace of economic revival. Industries have had to contend with low productivity,” said Mr Smith.

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