Botswana national energy storage project bidding

Does Botswana need a capacity building program?

In order to facilitate an effective development of the energy sector, the government of Botswana is obligated to build the necessary levels of human resource capacity across the board. Various actor groups have varying capacity needs hence capacity building programs should be tailored according to these various needs.

How has the energy sector impacted Botswana's Economic Development Prospects?

Botswana has experienced some constraints in the energy sector in recent years, which to some extent have negatively impacted on the country’s economic development prospects. A devastating power supply and demand mismatch was encountered between the years 2008 and 2014, and this breached the country’s power supply security.

Why does Botswana not invest in solar energy?

This comes from the fact that Botswana imports the technology in its entirety as there are no local manufacturers in this field. Again, the current subsidy on conventional fuels deems solar energy less competitive hence a less conducive environment to attract investment into solar development, to both local and foreign investors.

How can we improve energy production in Botswana?

The use of livestock residues (cow-dung) seems to offer the highest practical opportunity for energy production in Botswana, while municipal solid waste (MSW) can also contribute to the improvement of energy generation, especially at the city level.

Can Botswana generate electricity from coal?

However, Botswana has ample renewable energy potential to augment generation from coal. Currently, solar energy contributes insignificantly to electricity generation despite the abundance of the resource. There is also wind and coal bed methane potential which have not been fully explored.

What is the main source of electricity in Botswana?

Coal is the main source of electricity generation in the country, followed by diesel. However, Botswana has ample renewable energy potential to augment generation from coal. Currently, solar energy contributes insignificantly to electricity generation despite the abundance of the resource.