- This report exlores various cases in Zimbabwe on how renewable energy activities are developed related to the exploitation of critical transitional minerals, nurturing an energy storage sector, or supporting the much-needed reforms in the power sector.
Zimbabwe is simultaneously facing a substantial energy supply crisis and a historical window of opportunities in its lithium mineral resources that are critical to the global green energy transition. Such a predicament imposes crucial questions on how these two strategically important sectors should be developed in a coordinated way for nurturing a sustainable and modern energy system in the country.
Meanwhile, since Chinese companies are the major players in both the power generation and lithium mining sectors, their influence and contribution to the national energy and development strategy have become increasingly critical. In this policy brief, the magnitude of Zimbabwe’s energy crisis and the potential opportunities in the transitional mining resources are investigated, with a particular focus on how these two sectors should be interlinked with Chinese investments.
Potential benefits of such interlinkages are discussed, such as providing a stable power supply around the mining communities, improving distributions of mining revenues, and enhancing sectoral governance in both sectors around the ESG guidelines. We argue that Chinese investment and engagement in both sectors have notable impacts on all these issues
The report was commissioned by the African Climate Foundation and was produced by the International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF)
Link to the full report HERE
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
