Talking Green World: Unlocking Urban Rooftops – The Untapped Gold for Renewable Energy

Zimbabwe basks in over 300 days of sunshine annually, offering one of the richest potentials for solar energy in Southern Africa. While the quest across African cities for sustainable energy solutions often leads to far-flung lands and waters, the answer might be right above us.

Consider the urban landscapes of Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Chitungwiza, and Masvingo, where flat, sunlit rooftops of schools, hospitals, shopping malls, warehouses, public buildings, churches, and residential blocks abound. These rooftops are more than structures providing shelter; they are potential platforms for solar panels that can empower communities silently yet powerfully.

This isn’t merely a futuristic vision; it is a tangible and urgent opportunity waiting to be seized. Urban centers can and should capitalize on these rooftops for renewable energy projects, heralding a new era whose time has come.

The Argument for Rooftop Solar: Transforming Urban Energy

With over 300 sun-drenched days a year, Zimbabwe is ripe for solar energy development, especially in the wake of a growing energy shortfall that results in frequent power cuts, hampering productivity and economic growth.

• Create financial opportunities for city authorities and building owners
• Strengthen climate resilience
• Empower communities by enhancing energy access

In essence, rooftop solar initiatives decentralize power generation, democratize energy access, and foster sustainable growth — all without commandeering additional land.

Generating Revenue for Cities, Harnessing Power for Citizens

Cities worldwide generate revenue by leasing rooftops to energy companies. There’s no reason Zimbabwean cities can’t follow suit. Several cities in other regions allow solar developers to rent municipal building rooftops, providing energy to the grid and cutting electricity costs, while generating income for the municipalities.

Zimbabwean cities, from Harare to Gweru, could implement similar strategies, transforming rooftops into small-scale power stations, which would alleviate pressure on the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) and enhance local fiscal independence.

One sizable building might support up to 100 kW of solar PV power or more. Imagine amplifying this across hundreds of buildings — it culminates in megawatts of clean, localized electricity, all without disturbing the natural landscape.

Empowering Public Institutions: Schools, Clinics, and Markets

Imagine a scenario where every school is outfitted with solar panels, supplying power to classrooms, administrative offices, water pumps, and computer labs. The same potential lies within rural and urban clinics, where consistent power is crucial for vaccine refrigeration, medical equipment, and basic lighting.

This initiative not only enhances educational and healthcare infrastructure but also instills a greater understanding and ownership of renewable energy. Children from Mhondoro to Mutoko would grow up with firsthand knowledge of solar energy, not through textbooks but through lived experience.

Creating Green Jobs through Rooftop Energy

The move towards green energy extends beyond technological advancement; it’s about people and job creation. The deployment of rooftop solar power can unlock thousands of job opportunities in Zimbabwe, from technicians and installers to maintenance personnel, engineers, analysts, and energy auditors. A government-backed training initiative or partnerships with the private sector could cultivate a workforce skilled in green technologies, ready for the continent’s clean energy transformation.

Solar energy leads the pack in job creation per megawatt compared to other power sources — a golden opportunity awaiting Zimbabwe.

Policy: A Cornerstone to Success

For the widescale rental of rooftops to succeed, policy support is fundamental. There is a pressing need for bold action from the Energy and Power Development ministry, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority, and local government bodies.

Financing and Integration: Surmounting Challenges

While challenges exist, particularly with financing and grid integration, they aren’t insurmountable. Innovative financing methods like power purchase agreements, lease-to-own models, and green bonds can unlock private investment. Additionally, microgrids and battery storage can optimize power usage and storage for nocturnal access.

Smart meters and net billing enable excess solar power to be reintegrated into the grid or rerouted to adjacent facilities. It’s essential to perceive challenges not as barriers but as opportunities for innovation.

Citizens at the Core of Sustainable Development

The future of energy stretches beyond technology; it necessitates public involvement. Citizens need to partake in energy ownership, not merely consumption.

Community solar programs, rooftop cooperatives, and residential solar initiatives can empower families to generate electricity, reduce utility expenses, and sell surplus power back to the grid, paving the way for energy autonomy and an equitable transition that uplifts all Zimbabweans.

The Vision Forward: Achieving Goals by 2035

Zimbabwe is advancing towards a $16 billion renewable energy sector by 2035, with rooftop solar playing a pivotal role alongside other renewable resources like utility-scale solar, wind, and hydro energy.

The global community is watchful of Africa’s — and Zimbabwe’s — response to climate change and energy scarcity. We stand at a crossroads to be trailblazers, rather than mere spectators.

As every Zimbabwean sunrise offers warmth and sustenance, it’s time to harness this daily phenomenon to illuminate our future, from rooftops downward.

Cities should reconsider rooftops not merely as shelter but as avenues for economic renewal, environmental transformation, and energy security. With bold leadership, effective policies, and community engagement, the sky is not a constraint — it is a wellspring of opportunity.