Challenges and opportunities for mainstreaming industrial energy efficiency in small‐to‐medium‐sized industries in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Development of industry in Zimbabwe has been widely acknowledged as one of the leading sources of current environmental and energy efficiency challenges affecting the country. The emergence of Small‐to‐medium‐sized (SMEs) industry sectors is seen as an opportunity for socioeconomic growth. Hence, it requires mainstreaming sustainability and energy efficiency at its core. Several policy instruments have been implemented to support industrial energy efficiency in Zimbabwe, including awareness, regulations, and voluntary standards such as International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) energy management systems standard ISO 50001 and economic instruments. Several challenges exist that affect widespread adoption of energy efficient technologies including implementation of policy framework for energy efficiency, ageing equipment, inadequate funding mechanisms, limited information, few economic incentives for SMEs to invest in energy efficiency, low technical capability of SMEs to implement energy efficiency, limited institutional sustainability of agencies involved in promotion of energy efficiency, and low uptake of energy management standards. This study focuses on the challenges and opportunities for resource efficiency and presents strategies for improvement. In order to enhance green industry and increase adoption in SMEs, there is need to strengthen institutions involved in resource efficiency, improve funding mechanisms, strengthen industrial clusters, promote energy service companies (ESCOs) and energy efficiency networking forums, create funding schemes for SMEs, provide training and capacity building, increase demonstration projects, strengthen the role of independent energy service providers, and improve national collaboration of stakeholders. In conclusion, Zimbabwe has greater potential to contribute towards a green economy through implementing energy efficiency in SMEs. WIREs Energy Environ 2016, 5:510–518. doi: 10.1002/wene.203This article is categorized under: Concentrating Solar Power > Climate and Environment Energy and Development > Systems and Infrastructure Energy and Development > Climate and Environment