World Small Hydropower Development Report 2013 - Zimbabwe

Abstract

In rural Zimbabwe, 80-90 per cent of people are heavily dependent on wood fuel. Rural populations light their homes with kerosene and carry out essential food processing tasks such as milling grain, using diesel powered systems. Access to electricity is estimated nationally at nearly 40 per cent, but access to electricity in the rural areas of the country is about 19 per cent, due to very high costs of extending the national electricity grids. Electricity consumption was 998 kWh per capita in 2006. With the current economic and political situation in Zimbabwe improving, the drive by the Government to encourage independent power producers, the prospects for the development of small hydropower are promising.