By Richard Shumba

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) is developing regulations to strengthen oversight of the solar energy market and address concerns about substandard products and the qualifications of technicians who install solar systems.

ZERA’s acting Chief Executive Officer, Ndovorwi Mangarai, shared these revelations during a recent stakeholder engagement meeting at the Village Lodge.

He said the authority is collaborating with other government institutions to create a regulatory framework to ensure solar products meet necessary standards and protect consumers from unsafe installations.

During the meeting, Mangarai emphasized that the authority has recognized the need to establish qualifications for solar technicians as part of efforts to improve professionalism in the sector.

“One of the major issues raised by stakeholders is the prevalence of substandard products, particularly concerning solar systems,” he stated.

He added, “We have already drafted some regulations that we hope to implement this year, which will allow us to oversee and regulate the solar market effectively.”

The proposed regulations aim to ensure that solar products sold in the market meet required standards, that technicians performing installations are qualified, and that their work is monitored.

Mangarai explained that these measures are designed to enhance public safety and ensure consumers receive value for their money when purchasing solar equipment. The planned regulations are particularly significant as solar energy continues to serve as an alternative energy source for households and businesses, making the quality of equipment and installations crucial for consumer protection.

In addition, Mangarai said the stakeholder engagement meetings aim to evaluate the authority’s performance and gather recommendations to guide its future operations.

He said ZERA is providing stakeholders with feedback on issues raised during last year’s meetings as the authority reviews its strategy.

This year’s meetings give stakeholders the opportunity to identify where the regulator has performed well, highlight shortcomings, and suggest practices to discontinue because they hinder business operations and competition in the energy sector.

“Stakeholder engagement is a key requirement in our stakeholder charter, which mandates us to meet with our stakeholders at least once every 12 months,” Mangarai explained.

He concluded by stating that the feedback collected will inform the authority’s strategy formulation for 2027, scheduled for November. This process is expected to help ZERA identify priority areas for improvement while strengthening engagement with players in the energy sector.