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Energy
About 74 per cent of the total energy needs
of the eight basin states come from biomass
(Chenje 2000). Wood fuel energy is used mostly
for domestic purposes, including cooking and
lighting. There are some rural industries that
consume significant amounts of firewood and
these include brick-making, lime production,
fish smoking, beer brewing, and the drying of
coffee, tea and tobacco. Renewable electricity
sources such as hydropower and non-renewable
sources such as thermal power, petroleum
and natural gas are available in the basin. New
technologies such as wind and solar energy are
gaining prominence (SARDC 2009).
The hydropower potential of the Zambezi River
Basin is estimated at 20 000 megawatts (MW)
Figure 1.8
Kapichira hydropower station in Malawi generates 64 MW of electricity, and there are plans to double
the output.
NAMIBIA
ANGOLA
BOTSWANA
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE
MOZAMBIQUE
TANZANIA
MALAWI
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
OF CONGO
Kafue Gorge
Upper
Kariba North
Kariba South
Kariba
Itezhi Tezhi
Kholombizo
Cahora
Bassa 2
Songwe, 1 and 2
Lower
Fufu
Rumakali
Kafue Gorge
Lower
Cahora
Bassa
Nkula Falls
Victoria Falls
Mphanda
Nkuwa
Edzani
Kapichira I
Kapichira 2
Batoka
Gorge
L
u
n
g
u
e
B
u
n
g
o
Z
a
m
b
e
z
i
C
u
a
n
d
o
Z
a
m
b
e
z
i
K
a
b
o
m
p
o
L
u
a
n
g
w
a
M
a
z
o
e
S
h
i
r
e
S
h
a
n
g
a
n
i
K
a
f
u
e
Zambezi River Basin dams and hydropower facilities
Dam
2 000
Hydroelectric
power plant
Existing
Planned
In expansion
1 000
600
100
Plant capacity
Megawatt
Sources: World Bank 2010. Zambezi River Basin: A multi-sector
investment opportunities analysis. Volume 4 – Modeling, Analysis
and Input Data. World Bank Water Resources Management Africa
Region. Washington DC
© Admire Ndhlovu