Coal Power in Zambia: Time to Rethink

Zambia has until recently relied almost 100% on hydropower for electricity generation. The first coal power plant in Zambian history was commissioned recently in 2016/17. An unprecedented power shortfall in 2016 prompted the Zambian government to diversify its energy sources by planning to go into solar and increased coal power. Coal causes high levels of pollution, degrades the environment, damages people’s health and causes climate change. Solar and other renewable sources of energy are clean. The cost of power from renewable energy is now competitive with that of coal power. Coal power is on the decline worldwide and renewable power is on the increase. Global climate change policies will become more stringent and coal will have no place in a sustainable energy future. Zambia therefore needs to rethink its policy of increased coal power