As reported by the Chronicle, the project is to be carried out in partnership with GE, a wind turbine manufacturing and development company.
Optate Africa says the project results will be measured by the number of MW installed, the number of residential customers that will benefit from the electricity supplied and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided on an annual basis.
The company has sought a 25-year lease from Mangwe Rural District Council for 100 hectares of land to set up the power plant. Reads part of the notice by Mangwe RDC:
Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 71 of Rural District Council Act (Chapter 29:13) that Mangwe Rural District Council intends to lease an area of 100 hectares to Optate Africa for a period of 25 years for the purpose of setting up a renewable energy project. The project area is in Mangwe District.
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In a statement on its website, Optate Africa said that part of the power generated by the project will be sold to ZESA. It said:
A fraction of the power generated by the project will be sold to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement and the other part will be supplied to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
Optate Africa said the negative impact of wind power on the environment is negligible compared to conventional electricity generation which contributes to global warming and climate change. It said:
Wind power does not produce harmful emissions or hazardous waste, it does not deplete natural resources, nor does it cause environmental damage through resource extraction, transport and waste management.
Wind turbines occupy less than one per cent of the land area. Once up and running, existing activities, such as agriculture and ease of access to the site, can continue around them.
A wind farm development (facility) is subject to environmental impact assessment, in this case by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), to ensure that the potential effects on the immediate environment (including flora and fauna) are carefully considered before construction of the facility is allowed.
The company said a social Impact Assessment was done and permission was granted by community elders in Bulilima.
Wind power is a renewable energy source that involves harnessing the power of the wind to generate electricity.
It’s a clean and sustainable energy option that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
Wind turbines are used to capture the energy from the wind and convert it into electricity.
Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming and these gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are a major factor driving climate change and its associated impacts like rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events such as severe drought, flooding and tropical cyclones.
