This
shift
to
LPG
illustrates
the
potential
of
alternative
energy
sources
in
transforming
communities
while
addressing
urgent
energy
needs
and
providing
‘positive’
impacts
on
both
electricity
demand
and
environmental
sustainability.
Head
of
the
petroleum
department
at
the
Zimbabwe
Energy
Regulatory
Authority
(ZERA), Engineer
Andrew
Guri,
noted
that
the
country
now
leads
Southern
Africa
in
LPG
consumption,
a
shift
he
attributes
to
a
growing
acceptance
of
LPG
as
a
modern,
safe,
and
environmentally
friendly
fuel.
“Zimbabwe
has
broken
all
records
in
Southern
Africa,”
said
Guri
during
an
engagement
with
media
on
Wednesday.
in
Bulawayo.
“There’s
no
other
country
where
people
have
become
so
comfortable
with
LPG
than
Zimbabwe.”
The
engineer
added:
“Whatever
the
case,
the
outcome
is
good
that
people
have
migrated
or
shifted
to
LP
gas.
LPG
is
actually
known
as
the
modern
fuel
and
the
transition
to
cleaner
energies
as
we
move
to
renewable
energies.”
The
engineer
said
despite
initial
hesitations,
the
country’s
LPG
consumption
has
risen
from
under
1
kilogram
per
person
per
year
in
2012
to
around
4.5
kilograms
per
person
today,
marking
significant
progress
in
cleaner
energy
adoption.
Unlike
neighbouring
countries
where
the
use
of
LPG
remains
less
common,
Zimbabweans
have
embraced
it
with
confidence.
“In
Zambia
and
Malawi,
they
are
always
coming
to
us,
asking,
‘What
have
you
done
in
Zimbabwe
to
make
people
so
comfortable
with
LPG?’”
Guri
remarked.
“Elsewhere,
people
remain
hesitant,
but
here,
we
see
it
on
street
corners
and
in
homes.”
The
surge
in
LPG
usage
is
alleviating
the
strain
on
Zimbabwe’s
electricity
grid,
a
benefit
Guri
considers
vital.
“Using
LPG
helps
relieve
demand
for
electricity,
freeing
up
power
for
industries
where
it’s
needed
most,”
he
explained.
With
rolling
power
cuts
frequently
impacting
households,
LPG
has
become
a
practical
alternative
that
enables
cooking
and
heating,
reducing
the
burden
on
the
country’s
power
supply.
Guri
outlined
the
logistical
process
of
delivering
LPG
into
Zimbabwe.
“We
get
our
gas
offshore
from
traders.
It
arrives
by
road,
goes
into
storage,
and
then
is
distributed
to
LPG
filling
plants
across
the
country,”
he
said,
adding
this
supply
chain
makes
sure
Zimbabweans
can
conveniently
access
LPG
from
local
retailers.
Beyond
convenience,
the
switch
to
LPG
carries
considerable
health
and
environmental
benefits.
“LPG
is
a
modern
fuel,
it
doesn’t
corrode
or
produce
soot,
unlike
other
toxic
substances,”
Guri
explained.
This
clean
energy
source
has
become
increasingly
valued
as
communities
across
Africa
look
for
alternatives
to
wood
and
charcoal,
fuels
that
contribute
to
deforestation
and
air
pollution.
“Central
and
East
Africa
face
severe
environmental
issues,
such
as
desertification
and
deforestation,
from
the
extensive
use
of
charcoal.
LPG
offers
a
sustainable
and
cleaner
alternative,”
the
engineer
added.
In
response
to
these
environmental
challenges,
African
countries
are
looking
toward
LPG
as
an
affordable,
healthier
substitute,
aligning
with
global
energy
trends
favouring
cleaner
fuels.
Despite
these
gains,
Zimbabwe’s
rapid
transition
to
LPG
has
introduced
new
challenges,
especially
in
terms
of
safety.
While
Guri
celebrated
Zimbabwe’s
relatively
low
accident
rate
with
LPG,
he
acknowledged
the
need
for
caution
as
usage
expands.
“We
are
pleased
that
our
accident
rates
with
LPG
are
lower
than
those
of
South
Africa,
but
there
is
still
work
to
be
done
to
ensure
safety
standards
are
maintained,”
he
noted.
The
increased
reliance
on
LPG
has
spurred
the
Zimbabwean
government
to
promote
safety
education,
said
the
ZERA
official.
“Last
year,
Zimbabwe
used
66
million
kilogrammes
of
LPG,
and
we’re
projecting
usage
will
reach
70
million
kilogrammes
this
year,
if
not
more,”
Guri
stated.
“However,
with
LPG
being
sold
on
street
corners
and
in
neighborhoods,
incidents
can
happen.
Our
goal
is
to
maintain
safety
as
consumption
continues
to
rise.”
With
LPG
considered
one
of
the
cleanest
petroleum
products,
it
aligns
with
both
domestic
needs
and
international
environmental
standards.
“Even
Europe
is
moving
toward
LPG
for
its
efficiency
and
accessibility,”
Guri
said,
underscoring
Zimbabwe’s
role
as
a
model
for
sustainable
fuel
adoption
in
the
region.
As
Zimbabwe
leads
Southern
Africa
in
this
clean
energy
transition,
Guri
sees
the
country’s
embrace
of
LPG
as
a
promising
step
towards
sustainable
development.
“LPG
is
a
fuel
of
the
future,”
he
concluded.