Electricity in Botswana in 2023
In 2023, Botswana relies heavily on fossil fuels for its electricity needs, with more than half of the electricity generated from coal. This clearly indicates a significant dependency on fossil energy which contributes to climate change and air pollution. In addition to coal, Botswana also depends significantly on net imports for its energy needs, accounting for almost half of its electricity supply. Low-carbon or clean sources of energy are notably absent from the country's electricity mix, highlighting a need for diversification towards more sustainable options.
Suggestions
To increase its low-carbon electricity generation, Botswana can look to other countries for inspiration. While nuclear energy might not be the immediate choice due to the infrastructure and investment required, adopting wind and solar energy technologies can be more feasible and beneficial for a country with a suitable climate and geographical conditions. Morocco, for instance, generates a notable portion of its electricity from wind energy. Similarly, neighboring countries such as Namibia and Somalia are adopting solar energy, which showcases its potential for regions with ample sunlight. Harnessing the abundant sunlight in Botswana could effectively replace a significant portion of the coal and imported electricity with clean energy sources.
History
Historically, Botswana's commitment to low-carbon electricity has been minimal, as seen from the static data on solar energy generation from 2012 to 2023, where there was no notable change. This stagnation indicates missed opportunities over the past decade to harness solar energy, despite Botswana's advantageous position in the sunbelt of the world. There has been no significant push towards integrating solar energy into the electricity grid over this time, suggesting that a strategic reevaluation is necessary to pivot towards sustainable energy practices in the future. Acknowledging this past inactivity can motivate renewed efforts to implement solar and potentially other low-carbon technologies to transform Botswana's energy landscape.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.