• solar energy becomes a more suitable form of applicable energy source until such a time that the national or isolated grids are taken nearer to these areas.

By STANSLOUS NGOSA –

ZAMBIA is regarded as one of the highly forested country whose forests cover accounts for about 60 per cent of the total land area estimated at 64 million hectares.
The total area of indigenous forest in the country is estimated at 44.6 million hectares, covering 60 per cent of the total land area.
However, the country’s rate of deforestation is alarmingly high.
Latest statistics according to the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) indicates that Zambia’s deforestation rate currently stands at between 250 to 300 thousand hectares of land per year.
The country faces a worsening cycle of energy demand and deforestation
According to the UN food agency, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Zambia is among the top 10 countries in the world with the highest annual deforestation rate.
The agency estimates that the country is losing about 8,000 hectares of forest every year.
Environmental experts have also expressed concern that Zambia’s forests risk becoming deserts in the nearest future going by the current rate of deforestation.
But why are people cutting trees indiscriminately?
There are several factors which have triggered the rate of deforestation which include clearing of land for farming and timber logging.
Cutting trees for firewood and charcoal making rank top on the causes of deforestation in the country especially with the increased load shedding households are experiencing.
The continued electricity load shedding is said to be largely contributing to deforestation going by the huge volumes of charcoal flooding the market.
It is said that the increased load shedding has been necessitated by a break of a 180 megawatts generators at Kariba North Bank and the 150 megawatts at Kafue Gorge Hydropower Station.
This is because there had never been serious investments in the past to expand the generation capacity to meet the increasing demand for power as the result of the growing population and increased development and economic activities.
More than 20 per cent of Zambian households have direct connectivity to electricity, leaving nearly 80 per cent of the country’s population dependent on firewood and charcoal for cooking and heating.
The ratio is more skewed in rural areas with more than three per cent having access to electricity. The current population stands at 14,638,505 million people.
A quick brief of energy sources in Zambia reveals that about 80 per cent of the population use charcoal related sources of energy, thereby making charcoal burning a lucrative business venture and major source of livelihood for many people.
A further analysis reveals that the reverse of the above argument is also true where only an estimated 25 per cent of the country’s population is connected to electricity.
Deforestation is rife in the rural areas due to lack of electricity and it is against this background that Government established the Rural Electricity Authority (REA) to provide electricity infrastructure targeting rural communities.
Electrification is an integral part of a nation’s economy, and vice versa because it increases productivity while improving education and enhancing recreation.
It extends the working day, allowing for greater production and higher incomes.
Electricity provides light and energy to countless industrial and commercial processes while allowing communication between businesses.
It powers machines and equipment that are more powerful and faster than humans. Electricity provides light by which to study and learn.
Electricity has the potential to attract more visitors to tourist destinations, which benefits local businesses.
Considerable health benefits are made possible with electricity. Lives may be saved with modern medical devices such as heart rate monitors, defibrillators, endoscopic cameras and countless others.
Furthermore, if households use electric appliances in their homes instead of burning fuelwood, there would be less exposure to the harmful contaminants in wood smoke.
REA was established by an Act of Parliament Number 20 of 2003. Its primary aim is to provide electricity infrastructure to the whole nation targeting rural communities as mandated by Government.
The Rural Electrification Master Plan (REMP) which is the blue print for executing this programme has been developed.
Prior to the finalisation of the REMP, REA had been carrying out work in all 10 provinces of Zambia on selected projects since establishment.
The main focus of the electrification programme is to target public facilities, commercial undertakings and their surrounding areas.
The REA is mandated with the tasks of administering and managing the Rural Electrification Fund (REF); developing and implementing the REMP, mobilising funds to support rural electrification, encouraging private sector participation in rural electrification through provision of smart subsidies, competitive bidding and community mobilisation,
The Authority is also mandated to finance project preparation studies for rural electrification and recommending to government suitable policies.
Of critical importance to REA is the identification of various technologies that can be tapped to improve the standard of living of our rural population. The REA promotes renewable energy resources such as solar, mini hydros and biomass.
Solar energy technology is being considered in some rural areas which would not benefit from extension of the national grid and mini hydro potential in the immediate future.
For such areas, solar energy becomes a more suitable form of applicable energy source until such a time that the national or isolated grids are taken nearer to these areas.
The electrification programme would go on until all rural areas in Zambia have been electrified by either the extension of the national grid or other forms of energy like solar between now and the year 2030.
REA’s mission is to provide electricity infrastructure to rural areas using appropriate technologies to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life
The Authority’s goal statement was to increase the access to electricity in rural areas from the current three per cent to at least 15 per cent by the year 2013.
From 2008 to 2010, the Authority has implemented a total number of thirty-six (36) grid extension projects in different provinces of the Country.
These include seven projects implemented in 2008, 17 projects implemented in 2009 and 12 projects implemented in 2010.
In 2013, a total of 29 Grid extension projects were completed, resulting in 1,700 connections being made to schools, rural health centres, Chief’s palaces, local courts, and staff houses for Government employees as well as other Government facilities.
Grid extension projects were undertaken in the following districts: Kapiri-Mposhi, Katete, Petauke, Mwense, Kasama, Mungwi, Chinsali, Kabompo, Monze, Kalabo, Senanga, Namwala, Luwingu, Kawambwa, Samfya, Solwezi, Chavuma, Mbala, Choma, Sinazongwe, Serenje and Kaputa.
REA also successfully installed Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) systems at 35 schools, 30 rural health centres, 20 chiefs’ palaces and 11 staff houses.
Other completed and technically commissioned projects include the Mpanta Solar Mini Grid Project in Samfya District of Luapula Province with 480 initial connections made.
During 2014, the focus was to construct mini-hydro power stations in order to ensure that people in rural areas are connected to electricity supply.
REA is electrifying new Districts in line with the decentalisation policy as well as installing Solar PV Systems at schools, rural health centres and government offices.
REA has also completed projects in Nyimba, Kabompo, Mwinilunga, Mwense, Mungwi, Monze, Livingstone, Mpongwe and Luangwa.
“No more buying of batteries and solar panels as was the case before,” says Chief Sanjongo of the Luvale people of Chavuma
The traditional leader said this when the REA launched the K3, 724, 601. 63 Lukokwe-Sanjongo grid extension projects in Chavuma district, North western province.
Two other grid extension projects which were launched are Chivombo-Kamusamba rural electrification (K1.5 million) and the Kambuya project (K8, 990, 056. 086).
Some residents were happy with the connecting of electricity in Chavuma.
Priscah Mufundi, a grade eleven pupil at Sangonjo Day Secondary School, said she was extremely happy that the school has been electrified.
She said electricity would mitigate the challenges learners faced when studying at night.
Priscah said her life and that of her colleagues in school would improve positively.
“This is a dream come true. I am very happy because electricity will help us to remain for prep-studies which in turn will help us improve performance in our studies,” she said.
Sanjongo School Head Teacher Grace Kanema was also happy with the development.
“Pupils at the school have potential to go to high heights but their abilities were being hampered by the little time of study. The school is able to conduct classes for the pupils from 19:00 hours to 21:00 hours. This has improved the performance of the pupils in various disciplines,” she said
But Citizen for Better Environment director Peter Sinkamba, says REA has not achieved much to ease adverse impacts of energy demand, especially wood and charcoal energy, on the environment.
“Our energy policy proposes that Zesco and REA be unbundled and realigned to scale-up electrical grid upgrades in urban and rural areas. Our policy proposes that Zesco be delegated to execute capital intensive power generation and transmission functions only, including in rural areas,” says Mr Sinkamba, who is also Green Party President.
Mr Sinkamba says REA should be realigned so as to be responsible for all electricity distribution functions of Zesco.
He, however, says there is need to establish national roof eco-energy programme and grants for provision of supplementary solar energy to public universities, schools, hospitals, stadia, and other infrastructure as well as low cost housing.
Mr Sinkamba says the programme and grants should be executed to ensure the institution has additional energy to supply to consumers besides the hydro power, which at the moment is insufficient, and priority for supply is to industry, hence perpetual power-cuts.
He says power cuts are inimical to environmental protection because they force consumers to switch to charcoal and firewood as alternative energy source, particularly cooking.
Mr Sinkamba says there is need to invest in eco-energy for low income housing in urban and rural areas by establishing home energy grants administered by municipal councils as part of the programme aimed at reducing pressure on the environment.
There is also need to provide stable base-funding for provision of clean-energy through carbon tax revenue collections.
“There is need for funds to be administered by REA to finance climate change mitigation projects, including solar project. At the moment, carbon tax revenue is not used to mitigate impacts of climate change as it goes in Control 99 of Central Treasury. This is a bottomless pit,” Mr Sinkamba says.
It is true that electrification is an integral part of the country’s economy because it increases productivity while improving education and enhancing recreation.
It extends the working day, allowing for greater production and higher incomes.
Electricity provides light and energy to countless industrial and commercial processes while allowing communication between businesses.
The long term benefits of rural electrification are yet to be seen because development is not an overnight venture but a gradual one.