By Martin Chemhere
Zimbabwe is on a major drive to promote the uptake of biofuels at different levels. Increased use of biofuels has many benefits that include a reduction of the country’s carbon footprint, the creation of employment, and a reduction of petroleum’s import bill. Zimbabwe has enough land for the production of feedstock to sustain the uptake of biofuels.
Ethanol is produced in the country and this has seen the country making significant savings on its import bill. Other feedstocks such as jatropha for biodiesel are also in use and the by-products are immense.
A Biofuels Policy is in place as part of increasing energy security in view of the increasing cost of fossil fuels. The policy presents opportunities for investment in biofuel crop production, processing facilities, and infrastructure in the country. The policy aims at fostering sustainable development, reducing reliance on imported fuels, and stimulating economic growth across the country.
The policy framework, a result of extensive stakeholder consultations, is designed to guide the long-term expansion of the biofuel sector while ensuring economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
With Zimbabwe’s energy demand rising and the country currently importing significant amounts of petrol and diesel, the government sees biofuels as a strategic solution. The policy recognizes that increased adoption of biofuels can enhance energy security, stabilize fuel prices, promote rural development, create employment opportunities, and reduce poverty.
The policy document outlines several key objectives, including improving the viability and sustainability of the biofuel sector, ensuring product quality and standards, enhancing feedstock production, balancing biofuel investments with environmental concerns, and implementing production models that benefit local communities.
In the initial phase, the policy will prioritize liquid biofuels in the transport sector, focusing on ethanol production from sugarcane and biodiesel from jatropha, while also exploring other potential feedstocks. The government aims to achieve a consistent ethanol blending ratio of up to 20% and introduce biodiesel blending of up to 2% by 2030.
The policy also addresses the importance of stakeholder engagement, with ongoing consultations planned to ensure that the voices of farmers, biofuel producers, government agencies, research institutions, and other stakeholders are heard.
To ensure effective implementation, the policy outlines a roadmap that includes institutional coordination, policy harmonization, financial resource mobilization, capacity building, and public awareness campaigns. The government also plans to establish an independent body to monitor and evaluate the policy’s progress and impact.
“This Biofuels Policy is a crucial step towards achieving our national development goals,” said Dr. G.S. Magombo, Secretary for Energy and Power Development. “It will not only enhance our energy security but also contribute to a greener economy and improved livelihoods for our citizens.”
The policy is structured around four interrelated pillars: economic, agricultural, environmental, and social and institutional. These pillars identify and respond to the key issues that need to be addressed for successful sector development. The policy also proposes that the country achieves a consistent and sustainable ethanol blending ratio of up to 20% by 2030, introduces biodiesel at a blending ratio of up to 2% by 2030, and increases the number of players in the biofuels sector.
Key strategies and actions under the policy’s five main objectives include improving the viability and long-term growth and sustainability of the biofuels sector, ensuring the maintenance of biofuel product quality and standards, and enhancing the productivity and economic viability of biofuel feedstock production.
Additionally, the policy aims to balance biofuel investments with biodiversity maintenance and water and air pollution control, and to implement production models that increase community benefits from biofuel investments and foster institutional cooperation and coordination.
The development of the National Biofuels Policy involved a wide range of consultations with stakeholders in the biofuel value chain in Zimbabwe. Stakeholder consultative workshops were held in various regions, and input was received from farmer organizations, biofuel producers, government ministries, research organizations, biofuel users, oil companies, and fuel retailers.