Botswana Guardian Business Editor, KOOBONYE RAMOKOPELWA makes an argument that Botswana's power crises is avoidable and accuses the powers that be of looking down on the alternative renewable energy, which besides, being plenty, is more relevant than ever, considering the climate change challenges.
Botswana, a developing economy is currently struggling to keep the lights on. This week hundreds of thousands of homes were plunged into darkness, emanating from the apparent breakdown of the infamous Morupule B power station.
The darkness stretched for several hours, putting households and indeed, businesses, especially factories which work nights, on the edge. Morupule B, which is the main source of electricity in the country is coal fired. At an impromptu media briefing, Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) executives were this week at pains, trying to explain to inquisitive journalists why, all of a sudden, Botswana is experiencing a resurgence on power cuts. Part of the curiosity came from the fact that, a year ago, BPC announced it had enough, power, even exporting some of it.
To some, the load shedding which played out this week, and expected in more months to come, did not come as a surprise. The reasons the country will continue to experience power cuts are simple. The country’s decision makers have been regretably slow to help diversify the country’s energy sources despite having instruments on their disposal such as the National Energy Policy and more recently the Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity for Botswana.
The two documents speak in detail how renewable energy, especially solar is key to the country’s energy supply. According to the IRPEB, Botswana has a significant solar (energy) potential, receiving over 3,200 hours of sunshine per year with an average insolation on a flat surface of 21 MJ/m. “This rate of irradiation is among the highest in the world,” reports the IRPBE. There is also wind potential. Regions with the highest wind potential are located in the South-West and Eastern parts of Botswana, with average wind speeds above 7 m/s, and a wind power density above 200 W/m2.
Nonetheless, the government, who is the biggest investor in the energy sector, has been very slow to utilize these renewable energy sources. Historically, renewable energy sources have been relatively cheap to establish and maintain. Strangely, in the past ten years, Botswana went the opposite by investing in non-renewable sources of energy such as coal. Earmarked projects under solar ranges below 300 mw, which is still low, given the expect demand on power. Moreover, the above projects, which are mostly under BPC watch, are still at various tendering stages, and will only come into stream in four years and more. This week, BPC Chief Executive, David Kgoboko said some strategic solar projects will ensure adequate and reliable power supply. These include 50MW solar PV plant to be built in Selibe Phikwe, 100 MW solar PV to be built in Jwaneng, and the 300 MW coal-fired independent Power Producer (IPP). "The Jwaneng project is expected to reach commercial date of operation by 2027. We are currently having power purchase agreement negotiations with the developer and we are hoping we will conclude soon.”
As things stands, the country is almost 100 percent dependent on non-renewable energy sources. This February, Finance minister, Peggy Serame startled parliament when she stated that, "the current target is to raise the contribution of renewable energy in total power generation from 1 percent to 30 percent by 2030." This clearly shows, there is still a long way to go to improve the energy mix, to more sustainable and cleaner sources. This 1 percent contribution of renewable energy to national grid is even far less than other Southern Africa countries, whose economies are much less stronger to Botswana such as Lesotho or Swaziland.
Botswana’s decision makers appear to be looking at solar or wind as just sources of energy. They are looking into them as positive contributors to the much climate change matters. The world over, more and more countries are moving to renewable and this explains why some banks have stopped funding non-renewable energy projects. Botswana is a signatory to United Nation Sustainable Development Goals, which in part aims to address emerging climate change issues, which are caused by non-renewable energy sources such as coal. The current scenario begs the question, if the country, by continuing to be less proactive in renewable energy sources, does not go against the very agreement they are part and parcel of (the UN SDGs). Meantime, pressure groups are calling for the country to move towards renewable energy sources which are important to sustainable economic growths.
“We need to invest more in Renewables, to transition progressively from the fossil era into the green era. A lot of investment has to be done into research and Development, energy is life, energy is used across all sectors of the economy,” said Green Energy and Sustainable Energy Association (GESA) Secretary General, Tumisang Letlakana.
Countries should worry less about funding green energy projects. Right now, more and more investors are moving towards funding green and cleaner energy projects. Such fundings are obtained through green bonds listings and Climate Change Fund. In fact, the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) is green bonds. “Although green bond issuances are concentrated in advanced economies, emerging markets, including Africa, are seeing growth in appetite and activity. Sectoral opportunities for green finance such as renewable energy, clean transportation, waste management, agricultural development, green buildings and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) development in the continent are abundant, “ writes Thapelo Tsheole, CEO of BSE in their external publications, BSE News.
The current power cuts could be addressed by reducing reliance on non-renewable energy, and investing more on renewable energy sources. In that, Botswana can also solve any other related emerging matters such as climate change.
The darkness stretched for several hours, putting households and indeed, businesses, especially factories which work nights, on the edge. Morupule B, which is the main source of electricity in the country is coal fired. At an impromptu media briefing, Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) executives were this week at pains, trying to explain to inquisitive journalists why, all of a sudden, Botswana is experiencing a resurgence on power cuts. Part of the curiosity came from the fact that, a year ago, BPC announced it had enough, power, even exporting some of it.
To some, the load shedding which played out this week, and expected in more months to come, did not come as a surprise. The reasons the country will continue to experience power cuts are simple. The country’s decision makers have been regretably slow to help diversify the country’s energy sources despite having instruments on their disposal such as the National Energy Policy and more recently the Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity for Botswana.
The two documents speak in detail how renewable energy, especially solar is key to the country’s energy supply. According to the IRPEB, Botswana has a significant solar (energy) potential, receiving over 3,200 hours of sunshine per year with an average insolation on a flat surface of 21 MJ/m. “This rate of irradiation is among the highest in the world,” reports the IRPBE. There is also wind potential. Regions with the highest wind potential are located in the South-West and Eastern parts of Botswana, with average wind speeds above 7 m/s, and a wind power density above 200 W/m2.
Nonetheless, the government, who is the biggest investor in the energy sector, has been very slow to utilize these renewable energy sources. Historically, renewable energy sources have been relatively cheap to establish and maintain. Strangely, in the past ten years, Botswana went the opposite by investing in non-renewable sources of energy such as coal. Earmarked projects under solar ranges below 300 mw, which is still low, given the expect demand on power. Moreover, the above projects, which are mostly under BPC watch, are still at various tendering stages, and will only come into stream in four years and more. This week, BPC Chief Executive, David Kgoboko said some strategic solar projects will ensure adequate and reliable power supply. These include 50MW solar PV plant to be built in Selibe Phikwe, 100 MW solar PV to be built in Jwaneng, and the 300 MW coal-fired independent Power Producer (IPP). "The Jwaneng project is expected to reach commercial date of operation by 2027. We are currently having power purchase agreement negotiations with the developer and we are hoping we will conclude soon.”
As things stands, the country is almost 100 percent dependent on non-renewable energy sources. This February, Finance minister, Peggy Serame startled parliament when she stated that, "the current target is to raise the contribution of renewable energy in total power generation from 1 percent to 30 percent by 2030." This clearly shows, there is still a long way to go to improve the energy mix, to more sustainable and cleaner sources. This 1 percent contribution of renewable energy to national grid is even far less than other Southern Africa countries, whose economies are much less stronger to Botswana such as Lesotho or Swaziland.
Botswana’s decision makers appear to be looking at solar or wind as just sources of energy. They are looking into them as positive contributors to the much climate change matters. The world over, more and more countries are moving to renewable and this explains why some banks have stopped funding non-renewable energy projects. Botswana is a signatory to United Nation Sustainable Development Goals, which in part aims to address emerging climate change issues, which are caused by non-renewable energy sources such as coal. The current scenario begs the question, if the country, by continuing to be less proactive in renewable energy sources, does not go against the very agreement they are part and parcel of (the UN SDGs). Meantime, pressure groups are calling for the country to move towards renewable energy sources which are important to sustainable economic growths.
“We need to invest more in Renewables, to transition progressively from the fossil era into the green era. A lot of investment has to be done into research and Development, energy is life, energy is used across all sectors of the economy,” said Green Energy and Sustainable Energy Association (GESA) Secretary General, Tumisang Letlakana.
Countries should worry less about funding green energy projects. Right now, more and more investors are moving towards funding green and cleaner energy projects. Such fundings are obtained through green bonds listings and Climate Change Fund. In fact, the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) is green bonds. “Although green bond issuances are concentrated in advanced economies, emerging markets, including Africa, are seeing growth in appetite and activity. Sectoral opportunities for green finance such as renewable energy, clean transportation, waste management, agricultural development, green buildings and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) development in the continent are abundant, “ writes Thapelo Tsheole, CEO of BSE in their external publications, BSE News.
The current power cuts could be addressed by reducing reliance on non-renewable energy, and investing more on renewable energy sources. In that, Botswana can also solve any other related emerging matters such as climate change.
