The government, through the Energy Regulatory Authority (ARENE), has announced that it is developing a specific legal framework to regulate autonomous renewable energy systems, such as off-grid systems and mini-grids. The measure, unveiled this Wednesday, 23 April, during the 4th edition of RENMOZ-2025 – the main conference for the country’s renewable energy sector – represents a decisive step towards speeding up access to clean energy in rural and outlying areas, where the national grid still doesn’t reach.
‘We are preparing specific legislation for autonomous systems. This is a critical step to guarantee predictability for investors and security for communities,’ said Sérgio Moreno, director of ARENE.
HCB and EDM bet on expansion and energy transition
During the same event, Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB) announced that it will add 100 Megawatts (MW) of hydroelectric power and 400 MW of solar power to the national electricity grid over the next few years, reinforcing the company’s role as a driving force behind the country’s energy transition. ‘This diversification of the matrix is fundamental to guaranteeing energy security and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels,’ said Adérito Machaieie, director of HCB.
For its part, Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) highlighted its strategic plan which includes the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to modernise network management and increase energy export capacity. According to Luís Ganje, EDM’s executive director for Business Development, the company ‘is prepared to take on a regional leadership role’, taking advantage of energy interconnections with neighbouring countries in southern Africa.
Pedro Coutinho, representing SOURCE Energia, defended the need for greater technical training and an improvement in the quality of the proposals submitted to tenders. ‘We need to not only regulate, but also train and make people responsible,’ he emphasised.
The conference was also marked by calls to promote a just energy transition, with a focus on the most vulnerable communities. For the participants, it is essential that the benefits of clean energy are widely distributed and that there is coordination between the public sector, the private sector and civil society.
Organised by the Lusophone Renewable Energy Association (ALER) and the Mozambican Renewable Energy Association (AMER), with support from GET.invest and the Brilho programme, RENMOZ-2025 brought together decision-makers, operators, lawyers and investors, at a time when Mozambique is positioning itself as one of the leading players in renewable energy in southern Africa.
Text: Nário Sixpene
