By CHUSA SICHONE? –

THE China-Zambia South-South Cooperation on Renewable Energy Technology Transfer Project, which seeks to improve energy access and living conditions in rural Zambia through cooperation with China, has been launched.
The Government of Denmark has provided US $5.4 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the implementation of the Project in Zambia and Ghana.
Zambia’s project has a budget of US $2,624,400.?Mines, Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary Charity Mwansa said at the official launch of the project in Lusaka that Zambia had huge potential for renewable energy which it could not be fully exploited due to inadequate technical expertise while China was proficient in that area.
Ms Mwansa said the Project was important for Zambia and China as it signified cooperation between the two countries with competitive advantages complimentary to each other.
‘‘As a Government, we welcome this collaboration for a number of reasons. Firstly, this four-year project, in its execution, will ensure that the identified barriers and challenges in the development of renewable energy technologies in Zambia are addressed through?policy and fiscal interventions.
‘‘Secondly, the project will result in the construction of a micro-hydro power station which will showcase the practical use of renewable energy sources as a solution to increased access to electricity for rural communities,’’ she said.
Ms Mwansa said the project would benefit both Zambia and China and that local capacity in the exploitation of renewable energy technologies would be enhanced during the project’s execution.