The government has indicated that the fitting of any new electric geysers is now illegal save for those already fitted. Any existing geysers already fitted can be used but if you want to do a fitting for a new one right now, it is no longer allowed. There were regulations (called Electricity, Solar Water Heating Regulations) that were issued on the 8th of this month by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development. So in announcing the new regulations, that is where Advocate Fortune Chasi, the energy minister, highlighted that new electric geyser fittings are no longer allowed. In this article, I will touch on some of the stipulations of the new regulations and other related information.
New Stipulations Regarding Geysers
The new regulations have been bundled together under the statutory instrument (SI) 235 of 2019. As earlier mentioned, existing electric geysers that are already fitted can still be used. However, people using them are advised to migrate to solar as opposed to using electricity. It has also been indicated that new solar geysers can have a backup system powered by electricity. The electricity backup is on condition that it is done off-peak i.e. outside of periods when electricity demand is at its peak. That backup system will have to be designed in such a way that it only goes live when really necessary.
Some of the bases for absolute necessity will be energy deficits borne out of limited sunlight or adverse weather conditions. It could also be for scenarios when the solar system encounters a breakdown or some faults. Basically, the new regulations will cover areas pertaining to the installation, licensing, operation, repairs, maintenances, retrofitting and migrations to solar powering of geysers. All this does not turn a blind eye to existing local authority by-laws that govern the use of geysers – they still apply. You are probably wondering who exactly these regulations will apply to right?
Well, property developers, engineers, architects and general users of electricity and hot water are expected to comply with these new regulations. Take note though that the regulations will not apply to those who already have electric geysers fitted. You must also note that in the event that you want to fit an electric geyser under this new set of regulations you can. However, this must be preceded by an approval from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA). Such an exemption can be informed by either of the following reasons:
If you have premises that have technical limitations you can be exempted. If the hot water supply of your premises is from a co-generation plant that is at or close to your premises; that is the second possible reason. If your premises is using power generated using a renewable energy source and the excess is channelled towards heating water as a dump load; that could be another basis for exemption. The fourth possible reason for exemption will be any reason that ZERA may deem valid. Processing of applications will take any period within a 30-day window. In the event that ZERA disapproves an application they will be mandated to give reasons as to why they made that decision.
The Rationale Behind The New Stipulations
On average, powering geysers using electricity consumes about 40% of a home’s electricity. Thus the outlaw of new geyser fittings and the encouragement for people to migrate to solar is a bid by government to curtail the demand for electricity. It is also in pursuance of their vision to see the use of renewable sources of energy increase in the country. Projections have shown that the use of solar-powered geysers can save 300 MW of power annually.
When you put all this together you realize that the installation of solar-powered geysers now requires expertise and professionalism. Details like installation certificate, the capacity of the system, installer’s details and warranty are critically important now. While it is good for people to migrate to the use of solar energy I cannot help but notice that the government is not prioritising the generation of solar power on a grand scale. Technically, all these new regulations are seeking to address only the symptoms of a deep problem. Under normal circumstances people should not be governed on their use of electricity – it should be based on initiative, informed by their needs and finances. The current situation is one where power generation is low and that is the foremost underlying problem that must be dealt with. Overall, there must be stepped efforts to build solar farms because they have the potential to decisively address the local power crisis.
