The Energy Expert has challenged Government to step up and invest in its resources through the production and manufacturing of solar cells and panels which could be an excellent step towards reducing dependence on non-renewable energy sources.
Energy Expert Engineer Borniface Zulu told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT – that the high-quality silica sand found in some parts of the country has the potential to contribute significantly to the growth of the Zambian economy, making it an important contributor to the country’s industrial sector and to become a leader in solar power production and manufacturing.
He said the abundance of sunshine, coupled with the availability of raw material and favourable economic policies, makes the country an attractive destination for investors keen on the solar industry.
Zulu said Zambia has abundant natural resources to produce renewable energy in the form of solar power as the country is blessed with abundant sunshine throughout the year receiving an average of 8-10 hours of sunshine per day approximately 3,960 hours of sunlight annually.
He explained that the provinces of Zambia that are considered ideal for setting up solar projects are located in the southern and western parts of the country, including Southern, Western, Eastern and part of Copperbelt provinces.
“These areas receive the highest amount of sunshine throughout the year and are not affected by heavy cloud cover or rainfall, and harnessing this power through the production and manufacturing of solar cells and panels could be an excellent step towards reducing dependence on non-renewable energy sources.”
He said the benefits of producing and manufacturing solar cells and panels in Zambia are numerous as solar power is a clean and renewable source of energy, making it a perfect fit for Zambia’s economic development vision, namely ‘beyond the current business as usual approach towards a resource-efficient green economy. Zulu added that this will also provide jobs and contribute to the growth of the manufacturing sector in Zambia and also enhance energy resilience, lowers energy costs, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
He noted that Zambia has also an abundance of Silica sand which is one of the essential raw materials required for the production of solar cells.
“According to the Geological Survey Department of Zambia, high-quality silica sand is found in various regions, including Chipata, Chongwe, Chama, Mumbwa, and Kafue among others. However, Kafue district in Lusaka Province is recognized as the best location for silica sand due to its high purity levels but of course Zambia has vast deposits of silica sand, and the quality of the sand varies depending on the location. Regions such as Luapula, Eastern, Southern, Copperbelt, and Northwestern are known for having high-quality silica sand too, and the sand from these regions is used in a variety of industrial applications.” He explained.
