Sunbird Energy conducts EIA

Sunbird Energy conducts EIA
Published: 03 August 2017
Sunbird Bioenergy Zimbabwe has started conducting a full environmental impact assessment for its $150 million bio-ethanol plant in Mashonaland Central Province.

The process is in conformity with the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27).

The company, which is a joint venture between Government and a British company Sunbird Bioenergy Africa will also generate 33 megawatts of electricity from the project.

"Sunbird Bioenergy Zimbabwe intends to set up a sustainable Bioethanol Cassava plant in Mushumbi Pools in Mashonaland Central.

"The size and nature of the project has necessitated that a full environmental impact assessment be conducted," said the company.

The proposed site for the construction is 20 000 hectares and is a communal forest which is 10km East of Mushumbi Business Centre.

Sunbird Bioenergy Zimbabwe will develop and operate a bio-refinery plant that will produce about 120 million litres of fuel-grade ethanol per year.

Under the project, the energy company will also enlist up to 20 000 out grower farmers plus a core farm of 20 000 hectares.

According to reports, Government will initially have a 10 percent stake which will be increased progressively over 10 years to 51 percent.

Ethanol will be produced from cassava and electricity from biomass. The proposed venture, which is in line with Government's economic blueprint Zim-Asset, would spur development in a number of areas that include energy and agricultural production.

Government through Ministry of Energy and Power Development is in the process of developing a Renewable Energy Policy, which seeks to address economic and environment issues associated with the exploitation and use of renewable energy.

Through the policy, Government expects to prioritise the exploitation of available renewable energy resources and create an environment for an increased uptake of renewable energy and to give a guideline on how the renewable energy sector should be structured.

According to the draft policy, the country is looking at increasing renewable energy generation by 27 percent in 13 years as Government accelerates efforts to diversify energy generation.

The draft policy further projects that clean energy generation is set to increase by 26,6 percent to 4 640 gigawatts hour in 2030.

The policy highlights that there would be a power supply deficit of 1 000 megawatts in 2025, which would rise to 1 600 MW in 2030.

Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Samuel Undenge has been at the forefront of championing the adoption of cheap and sustainable source of energy.
- bh24
Tags: Sunbird,

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