Zim solar power company awarded national project status

Zimbabwe's Oursun Energy (Private) Ltd solar power company has been awarded the National Project Status to undertake projects with national appeal so as to augment the notational power company Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority in providing power energy especial to service farming and other national projects, it has been learnt.

Oursun Energy (PVT) LTD's director Simbarashe Mhuriro the organisation is planning to start the solar projects which will see the nation getting 230 megawatts.

"The Government of Zimbabwe has awarded Ltd. National Project Status to oursun Energy (Private) Ltd," said Mhuriro. "Oursun company is currently undertaking its first 10 MW of 230 MW sun2live project in the Harare and Melfort regions in Zimbabwe that will consist in the installation of two 5 MW grid-connected solar installations. The first 5 MW installations will be set up in Mt Hampden Harare and the other 5 MW will be installed on in the Melfort area on the Harare - Mutare Road."

He said the projects will be spread across the country.

Mhuriro said originally, the National Project Status was granted to projects with national impact that were funded by the government.

"However over time the government has begun to grant the status for projects from the private sector," he said. "As the 230MW sun2live project is deemed national through the massive size of capital that would be needed for that type of investment, it will be consequently exempted from in line with sections 140 and 141 of the customs and excise general regulations."

Mhuriro said the sun2live project of the meeco Group, a Switzerland owned company  through its joint venture, oursun Energy (Private) Ltd, is in line with the Zimbabwean government thrust to promote power generation projects in order to curtail the current power deficit.

"The sun2live turnkey solution of the meeco Group will provide solar power distribution and ensure the storage of energy and the execution of solutions for Zimbabwe," said Mhuriro. "Acting as a 24/7 power supply source or a backup solution, sun2live can provide electricity to households, businesses and communities to cope with the unreliability of the grid, the increasing costs or difficulties to maintain constant power sources."

He said from March, these two 5 MW grid-connected solar installations will be constructed concurrently in the Harare and Melfort regions. Mhuriro said 2.5 MW of components have arrived in Zimbabwe yet and a further 2.5 MW are scheduled to arrive on February 15, 2015.

"Studies have been conducted to have an insight on the impact of these 5 MW installations on the grid," said Mhuriro. "While the study came back successful for the Utopia Farm plant that of Mt Hampden is still on going. Oursun Energy (Private) Ltd. has since applied for its Independent Power Producer (IPP) license from Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority."

The 10 MW sun2live ground mounted and grid-connected project will use panels of the Würth brand.

"As one of the biggest manufacturers and one of the highest-ranking CGIS (Custom Gasket Industrial Specialities Ltd) panels producers next to Solar Frontier in the world, Würth produces panels that are considered highly bankable by many European banks," he said.

Oursun partner, the meeco Group was consolidated in 2000 and oriented its main focus towards the energy sector. With world headquarters located in Zug, Switzerland, the group currently has over 50 employees working across 4 continents. meeco has delivered over 320 MW of clean, renewable energy solutions across four continents. The meeco Group accomplishes its mission by providing project developers, investors, governments, and private businesses with the services necessary for timely financing, installation, and operation of clean energy assets.