Botswana’s energy policies to align with SDGs

 

Botswana government and stakeholders in the energy sector must look into energy policies and strategies if she is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 7 of energy security and access to affordable, clean, sustainable and uninterrupted access to energy.

This was said by Power For All platform manager Monkgogi Otlhogile, who also noted that Botswana would likely not secure access to electricity for all by 2030. However, he noted that Botswana like the rest of the world can accelerate the goal. Presenting during the National Energy Stakeholders’ Consultative meeting, Otlhogile said while the 2030 target was too ambitious it served as good motivation for change to be effected in the energy sector. She pointed out that modern capabilities of electricity should extend beyond just switching on a light.

“They should have the capacity to increase users and also increase substantially, renewable energy sources.” She said that energy efficiency targets in Botswana were modest but slow. “They are also not enticing for many professionals and investors. As things stand, our policies are often mismatched with what is happening on the ground.” She said globally, one billion people still don’t have access to reliable electricity, noting that from the year 2000 to 2016, access to electricity went up by 87 percent but in Botswana it was not even near ten percent.

Otlhogile suggested that to accelerate access to electricity government and energy stakeholders could consider developing a clear national electrification plan that includes tangible targets with clear definitions. She noted that government could also develop frameworks for grid extensions; grid and standalone systems that include a plan, and also de-risking tools, affordable financing and enabling policies to pique interest from the private sector such as loans and clear permit processes. “Utilities should be transparent and credit worthy. For example what BPC is doing should be publicised so that everyone has access to information, which is currenct.”

Otlhogile also said that rural electrification strategies should consider working in tandem with other development goals and also address affordability for consumers through locally approved business models. “Electricity usage is usually politicised but government should remove barriers and encourage alternative energy sources.” Otlhogile also noted that data collection remained a challenge in Botswana and noted that this could be evaluated so that data is regular and timely as opposed to waiting for census report every five to seven years.

The National Energy Stakeholders’ Consultative meeting was hosted by Botswana Climate Change Network, Pan Africa Climate Justice and the Christian Aid, Africa Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access. This comes after Botswana commissioned a report to explore the country’s energy landscape, to among others, support the delivery of access to decentralised, clean and affordable energy in  Botswana, should build the case for the need for increase in investment in both low carbon energy (renewable energy and energy efficiency).