23 Jun 2024

Phatsimo Mmifinyane, a retired 54-year-old teacher, has always nurtured an interest in green technology since her formative years.

When her family’s prayers were finally answered with the blessing of a piece of land in Nkoyaphiri, their first initiative was to invest in solar energy.

“We saw that it was possible. We had compelling reasons to choose green energy over relying on the government grid, which at that time was plagued by frequent power cuts,” she explains.

The Mmifinyane family’s intentions stemmed from that desperation, and as they always say, where there is a will, there is a way. Earlier, Phatsimo Mmifinyane had read in the news that the Botswana Institute for Technology, Research and Innovation (BITRI) was launching a biogas project aimed at Batswana interested in starting renewable energy initiatives.

“I knocked at their offices and expressed my interest. That was back in 2017,” she recalls. “Two years passed without any communication, but I did not give up. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, they reached out and informed me that if I was still interested, they could subsidise the project,” she adds.

The BITRI’s mandate is to identify and develop appropriate technology solutions in line with national priorities and the needs of Batswana. To that end, BITRI provided technical expertise and manpower for the ambitious project, while the Mmifinyane family was responsible for purchasing the building materials for the biodigester. That was when the project took off.

A biodigester was erected in the family’s compound, which has, since 2022, provided 10 cubic metres of biogas for their home needs in the semi-rural neighbourhood of Nkoyaphiri on the outskirts of Mogoditshane.

The family grows agricultural products and collects animal dung from their small farm, making them self-sufficient in feeding the biodigester and producing enough gas for home chores.

The biogas installations are primarily fed with dung, and the generated gas is used for cooking. In addition, the slurry from the remaining manure serves as high-quality fertilizer for the family’s backyard garden, replacing chemical products. This gives the Mmifinyane family autonomy, saves them money and time, and improves the quality of life in their homestead.

“Initially, it was not easy as we had to feed the entire dome and wait for a longer period for the chemical processes to take place,” reckons Mmifinyane. “It has been operational since then, and depending on home consumption, the gas is quite strong. As you can see, re apaa mogodu le dikgobe with our specialised biogas stove, which is easily accessible in the market,” adds Mmifinyane.

Mmifinyane further reckons that Botswana has great potential for biogas production. She says other countries have made progress in the production of biogas and now have bottled it for sale.

She encourages Batswana to take up the initiative because it is eco-friendly and economically viable.

Government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has implemented a project called “Promoting production and utilization of Biogas from Agro-waste in South-Eastern Botswana (Biogas Project)”.

The project has been funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to the tune of $2 632 300 and UNDP by $200 000. The project was implemented in the Kgatleng, Kweneng, South-East and Southern districts of Botswana.

It was implemented by the then Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security (MMGE) under the Department of Energy.

Other key stakeholders in the project included the Department of Waste Management and Pollution Control, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), Botswana Energy Regulatory Agency (BERA), District Councils, BITRI and Water Utilities Corporation (WUC).

The Biogas Project was initiated after recognising that waste had not been fully utilised as a resource in Botswana.

The reuse of waste to generate energy presents a significant opportunity for Botswana to tap into for future sustainability. Various waste streams at numerous agro-industrial facilities could be harnessed to generate energy. Potential sources for biogas production include chicken manure, cow dung and droppings from goats and sheep.

Despite the immense potential offered by the abundance of livestock manure, agricultural waste, and other forms of biomass in the country, generating energy from this waste remains a challenge.

The Biogas Project, which cuts across both the energy and waste management sectors, provides a comprehensive solution aligned with the government’s objectives.

The objectives include ensuring equitable access to energy for all, reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the contribution of renewable energy in the overall energy mix, decreasing the importation of carbon-based electricity, mitigating deforestation, preserving the environment through improved waste management, and valorising waste.

Energy Minister, Mr Lefoko Moagi, has reiterated government’s lead in promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy.

“My ministry has completed the National Energy Policy (NEP), the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), as well as the Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) which will be used by Government for planning purposes, programmes, and project implementation. The Government of Botswana has planned to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent by year 2030, from the baseline of 2010” Minister Moagi told a biogas conference recently.

“The steady development of renewable energy sources is driven, above all, by the aspiration for sustainable development. Climate change is an issue for which renewable energy can, and must play a key role. The reason for the central role of renewables is obvious – renewables are fully or almost carbon-free,” Minister Moagi further added. ENDS