Matola calls for energy diversification, investment to meet demand
Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has expressed the need to invest and diversify in energy sector if the country is to meet sustainable development.
Matola made the remarks on Thursday during the opening of the 2023 National Energy Conference in Salima held under there theme: Energy Diversification for Sustainable Development.
He said energy is the driver of economy therefore need more investment and also to diversification.
“With the new technology and advanced information we need to integrate so that we can harvest a lot of power and give to the people,” he said.
Matola observed that the country need to add more power to the national grid by 2030 as stipulated in the Malawi 2063 agenda.
He added that energy diversification is very important as the country cannot only depend on government’s program of Malawi Rural Electrification Program (MAREP) because there are certain areas where they are difficult to access saying that this can only happen if there is energy mix like off-grid solutions.
Matola said government is committed to make sure that access to electricity reaches more than 70 per cent by 2030 in the country.
Currently, access to energy is at 19 percent with 42 per cent in urban areas and only five per cent in rural areas.
Matola believed that the better way for more people in the country to access electricity is to have off-grid solutions.
In his remarks, Renewable Energy Industries Association of Malawi (REIAMA) President Sousten Chigalu said Malawi is fairing well in renewable energy despite some few challenges.
“Renewable energy has increased in the country especially when government started removing taxes on renewable energy products when importing,” he said.
Latest World Bank report indicates that if Malawi is to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, the country need to focus more on renewable energy more particularly on off-grid solar.
Chigalu there appealed to government to continue and be consistent on the incentives on renewable energy products because they are the ones used by people in rural areas for health and education.
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