Source: Zim integrates 118MW of net metering into national grid – herald
Martin Kadzere
Zimbabwe has reached a significant energy milestone, with a total of 118MW in net metering installations now integrated into the national grid, ZESA Holdings chief executive Engineer Cletus Nyachowe has said.
The achievement follows the removal of administrative and financial barriers, most notably the elimination of upfront connection fees and the introduction of credit transfers between a customer’s different properties.
The net metering programme, spearheaded by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of ZESA, allows existing customers who generate renewable energy — primarily through solar photovoltaic (PV) systems — to feed excess power back into the national grid.
The exchange is facilitated by grid-tied inverters and bi-directional smart meters that accurately track both energy consumption and export. Under the arrangement, the ZETDC grid functions as a “virtual battery bank”.
When a customer’s local demand is met and their on-site batteries are fully charged, surplus electricity flows into the national network.
The surplus is recorded as credits that the customer can draw back on during the night or in cloudy weather, effectively offsetting their monthly electricity bills.
“The programme accelerates the return on investment in renewable energy while reducing household and business costs,” said Eng Nyachowe. “It also extends the lifespan of private battery systems by reducing deep discharge cycles and lowers the need for large, costly battery banks.”
Participation is currently open to residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural customers, with a maximum exportable capacity set at 5MW. To further stimulate uptake, ZETDC is currently running a 36-month promotion through March 2027. During this period, connection fees are waived upfront and are instead recovered through the energy credits generated by the customer’s system.
Applications are being processed through the ZETDC self-service online portal or at any commercial office.
Officials indicate that applications are typically processed within one week, followed by installation and commissioning by approved technicians.
By empowering citizens to become active producers of clean energy, the net metering initiative is expected to strengthen grid stability and reduce load-shedding pressures, advancing Zimbabwe’s transition towards a more resilient and greener energy future.
Many companies and households have developed captive power solutions to insulate themselves from persistent power cuts. This shift has also created an opportunity for those producing excess energy to feed into the national grid.
Last year, the Minister of Energy and Power Development, July Moyo, noted that while there has been a steady increase in the adoption of net metering, some producers remain reluctant to join the programme.
He urged consumers to embrace net metering as a way to support national energy security while offsetting their own costs.
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