Baseload Power Vital to Drive Industrial Ambitions Says Zimbabwe Energy Minister

July Moyo, Minister of Power and Energy Development, Zimbabwe has indicated that Africa’s push for industrial growth will require a balanced energy mix, stressing that renewable sources alone cannot sustain the continent’s heavy industries.

“Recent years have witnessed an increasing trend – the rise of renewable energy technologies,” Minister Moyo stated, adding, “However, steel, mining and manufacturing require constant and high-capacity electricity. Herein lies Africa’s challenge – how to strike the right balance between scaling up renewables and maintain the current baseload,” he said during a keynote speech at African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025.

While renewables are expanding rapidly and offer cleaner, locally produced power, the Minister highlighted, conventional baseload generation remains vital. He called for renewable energy to be reframed as complementary rather than replacement technologies. Ensuring this balance, he said, will be key to securing long-term socioeconomic growth

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.