Germany dedicates $34.8 million to Zambia’s renewable energy programme

The German government will allocate €31 million ($34.8m) to help implement Zambia’s Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFiT)-Strategy, in a bid to accelerate the country’s development of renewables.

The funding – which was awarded through the German Development Bank – will be allocated to the GET FiT (Global Energy Transfer Feed-in Tariffs)-programme, a project that is designed to assist the Zambian government promote diversification of the power sector.

The programme is a collaborative initiative between the Zambian government, Zesco Limited, the Energy Regulation Board, the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) and KfW.

The money is expected to go towards tariff support, grid integration for some projects, and other technical assistance, according to local media reports.

Will Pearson, “GET FiT” Zambia Coordinator, said he expects that up to 200 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy facilities will be connected to the grid over the next five to seven years.

The first phase of the GET FiT-programme will see an auction for a total of 50 MW of solar photovoltaics (PV), Pearson said.

According to pv magazine, the program contains a mix of different components to create an attractive environment for private investor, including standardised legal documents such as Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), and support in permitting and licensing.

The news follows the announcement that a $32.80 million grant has been approved by the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors which will help improve livelihoods in the Eastern Province of Zambia.

The grant will improve the livelihoods of an estimated 214,955 people in addition to reducing deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices in the region.

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