09 Mar 2022

Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) has pledged its support and commitment to the success of Botswana Solar Thermal Technology Roadmap (BSTTR) project.

The BSTTR project entails construction of 50 mega watts   plants in Selebi Phikwe and Jwaneng and the 200 megawatts concentrated solar thermal, 12 grid tied solar photo voltaic mini power plant as well as the ongoing solar rooftop programme, which is being implemented through the Botswana Power Corporation.

The CEO of BERA, Ms Rose Seretse said in an interview that experts had asserted that up to 20 per cent of the household energy consumption was used for water heating.

Ms Seretse said it meant that if everything was to be taken direct from the country’s average demand of 600 mega watts  , a good 120 mega watts  would go to water heating.

She also noted that if water heating could be achieved through solar water heaters; the path to reaching energy security would be clear and shorter.

Ms Seretse said BERA’s primary mandate was to ensure economic regulation of the energy sector and ensure protection of the environment and sustainable use of natural resources, among others.

“As we will all agree solar energy is set to play a significant and critical role in the energy supply mix, not only in this country, but globally.

Countries around the globe have set themselves renewable energy and greenhouse gases emission reduction targets,” she said.

She further said stakeholders including regulators must be ahead in ensuring that policies, regulatory framework and investment prospectuses were up to date, adding that it was in that regard that BERA was delighted to be one of the policy makers.

Ms Seretse said one of BERA’s functions was to ensure sustainable and secure supplies in the energy sector and one way in which the country would achieve that goal was through effective and efficient implementation of the BSTTR.

She said government had approved integrated resource plan and in it solar energy was pronounced.

She explained that last year Parliament approved the energy policy, which was also part of the commitment to ensuring that the legislative framework was in place.

The BERA CEO further highlighted that the policy aimed to create an energy system that would ensure secure and reliable supply of modern energy services for all sectors of the economy and to significantly reduce energy-related atmospheric emissions by 2040.

The policy specifically outlines guidance to the management and development of Botswana’s energy sector, especially the substantive penetration of new and renewable energy sources into the country’s energy mix in order to attain energy self-sufficiency and increased security supply, she said. ENDS