GOVERNMENT has urged suppliers of alternative sources of energy to reduce their prices for the commodities to reduce the demand for hydropower supply and ultimately mitigate load shedding.
Livingstone District Commissioner Omar Munsanje said there was need for suppliers of alternative sources of energy to reduce their prices for the commodities so that more people could access the tools.
Mr Munsanje said the Government had done its part to give incentives to suppliers to import such commodities and hence there was need to ensure that the benefits trickled down to members of the public.
He was speaking in an interview in Livingstone at the weekend when the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) hosted an Earth Hour event in which electricity was switched off for a period of one hour to conserve it.
“To suppliers of alternative sources of energy, we are urging them to lower their prices so that people are compelled to come on board and buy these items.
“Otherwise we will have these alternative sources of energy which are not being utilised because of higher prices,” Mr Munsanje said.
He said he was grateful the commemoration of the Earth Hour took place in Livingstone.
“For us, we are talking about the real effects of climate change and what it means is that everyone has to take part in mitigating the effects of climate change.
“We have load shedding and almost everybody knows that. We are trying to engage people so that they use other alternative sources of energy,” Mr Munsanje said.
Speaking at the event, ERB senior manager for the Southern Region Stephen Mwiinga said electricity was a scarce community which Zambians needed to use sparingly.
Mr Mwiinga said the Government, working in partnership with ERB, had put in place mechanisms to encourage private sector in the renewable energy.
“There are many alternative sources of energy and therefore let us keep an open mind and explore these sources,” Mr Mwiinga said.
Livingstone based environmentalist Benjamin Mibenje said there was need to discourage the use of charcoal as an alternative source of energy because the practice was contributing to climate change.
Government should have imported through ZESCO things such as inverters,solar panels and gensets using the money that we pay for electricity we’re yet to consume and sold these items at cost price the same way they did with energy saving bulbs……….which went a long way in saving more than 100 Megawatts.
Nothing comes cheap imwe ba PamaFi!!
You’re happily wasting money importing electricity generated by diesel on a ship at sea, instead of investing in a long term solution, JUST WANTING TO DECEIVE VOTERS With you shortsightedness!! E.g. SOLAR, the outlay may be expensive, BUT YOU ONLY PAY FOR IT ONCE, for probably the next 25yrs during which you receive FREE ELECTRICITY FROM THE SUN!! Don’t be IGNORANT, show us your Gr12 certificate!!
Vote wisely 11/8/2016!!
Vote UPND!! Vote Zambia FORWARD!!
I thank you!!
Spot on. Renewable energy schemes have high initial capital costs but are cheaper over a period because of avoided fuels costs but a Zambian would rather buy a Pamela than a 50 kg bag and he thinks he is saving. The Lwawu Franciscan Mission situated about 50 from Mwinilunga utilises a stream to generate 46 kW enough for staff houses and a hammer mill. It has been running for over 30 years with no major repairs apart from replacement of a belt and monthly greasing of bearings. The scheme has repaired itself several times over through avoided fuel cost for over 30 years.
This is why we need Politicans with G12…how can you ask people to reduce when they are importing this equippment and you need an electrican to install this especially Solar Panels. Moreover new age solar systems are very efficient.
Now you think development is cheap? you must be an *****. Ask the Asian Tigers what they did to be where they are? Very dull ***** indeed like your useless ***** boss chakolwa lungu
”Mr Munsanje said the Government had done its part to give incentives to suppliers to import such commodities…”
And what incentives are those ? these PF dull heads are indeed the worst GRZ in Zambians history. If they were serious about power 70-80 % of house holds should have been on solar energy by now, but it seems they would rather spend money importing electricity. Zambians should know that the main reason they prefer importing electricity is because it is easier to steal from those transactions…