Zimbabwe to conduct household electricity generation audit

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) is set to conduct a nationwide audit of household power generation as part of efforts to eliminate critical data gaps in the country's national energy balance sheet.

In an interview, ZERA Chief Executive Edington Mazambani explained that the exercise will quantify electricity produced by domestic solar installations, a move expected to redefine the national electrification rate and facilitate smoother integration of private systems into the national grid.

"It is done firstly to determine the electrification rate, secondly for national planning, and thirdly to anticipate integration within the grid," Mr Mazambani said. "We are at the procurement stage for a contractor to undertake the study. We need capacity to cover the whole country."

According to the 2022 Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) census, the official electrification rate in Zimbabwe was 62 percent, with about 1,1 million households relying on off-grid power, representing nearly a third of people with access to electricity.

The audit comes amid a marked shift in household energy behaviour, with many urban and rural households increasingly adopting solar power. While early uptake was driven by acute power cuts, solar is now viewed as a permanent, sustainable alternative to conventional grid electricity.

The adoption of rooftop solar has accelerated due to declining costs of solar panels and lithium-ion batteries. A standard 3,2kVA system that once cost US$3 000 can now be installed for as little as US$1 000, making self-generation financially viable for many households.

The rapid proliferation of domestic solar has created a "shadow grid," masking the true extent of energy access in the country. A critical challenge remains the mid-day energy surplus. With batteries often fully charged by mid-day, excess electricity may go unused rather than feeding into the national grid, as many homes are not yet connected to net-metering systems.

"Without net-metering, solar panels simply throttle back or stop producing, wasting potential energy that could power nearby industries or schools," Mr Mazambani said.

Experts warn that infrastructure deficits compound the problem. Many newly developed urban settlements lack basic power lines, and rural areas similarly remain disconnected, preventing households from contributing surplus energy to the national system.

"On one hand, the country has an abundance of private generation; on the other, it lacks the pathways to move that energy because ZESA has not yet installed the necessary infrastructure," said energy expert Eng Travor Sande.

Last year, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo noted that about 75 megawatts of net-metered solar power were feeding into the grid and urged households and businesses with solar installations to connect through net-metering to contribute surplus energy.

Energy experts have also warned that the rise of "prosumers" - customers who both produce and consume electricity - could impact traditional utility revenue. If ZESA sells less energy, it may need to raise tariffs to cover fixed costs, potentially making self-generation more attractive and shifting the financial burden onto those unable to afford solar systems.

"ZERA needs to understand electricity market dynamics," a former senior ZESA official said. "Not everyone can produce their own power, so some consumers may end up subsidising the grid while others reduce their reliance on it. Accurate data is critical to managing these dynamics and ensuring social equity."

Once the procurement process is complete, ZERA will establish a timeline for the audit, which is expected to provide a clearer picture of household-generated electricity and inform strategic grid planning across the country.

This initiative represents a major step toward integrating Zimbabwe's growing private solar capacity into national energy planning and improving the accuracy of electrification statistics.