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The conference debated factors such as clean energy, cost, stability, efficiency, and environmental effects and underscored the need for evolving a regional narrative for decarbonization. It also highlighted the need for energy security in the region through a coordinated effort
The Regional Energy Regulators Association of Southern Africa’s (RERA’s) annual conference was held over four days in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana last week. The conference debated factors such as clean energy, cost, stability, efficiency, and environmental effects and underscored the need for evolving a regional narrative for decarbonization. It also highlighted the need for energy security in the region through a coordinated effort.
RERA’s main objective is to ensure regional cooperation to address the increasing integration of energy infrastructure systems and to take advantage of significant benefits from economies of scale and shared resources. The organisation also provides a framework for transactions in the energy to take place as well as to harmonise and integrate energy market structures.
Deliberating at the conference, RERA chairperson, Motlatsi Ramafole, said that the region has been performing sub-optimally with regards to energy efficiency with lag on effects coming from the electricity crunch taking place in South Africa. He further said that the region has been plagued by gross price volatilities which serve as an alarm call for greater efforts to move to more sustainable sources of energy.
SADC executive secretary, Elias Magosi, revealed that regional access to electricity stands at 55% with the lowest country in the region standing at 13%.
This, according to Magosi, represents huge inadequacies and exposes the ever-increasing demand for energy in the region.
The RERA was established as a SADC institution in July 2002 following a resolution by the SADC Ministers of Energy Forum. Membership of RERA has grown from the initial four SADC member states (Lesotho, Zambia, South Africa, and Namibia) over the years to 14 with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Seychelles, Madagascar, and Comoros being the only member states without representation. Botswana joined in 2018 after the formation of the Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA).
Speaking at the conference, Easigas country manager, Gaone Abotseng, said the industry was hoping to partner with the government to expand usage to rural areas where the gas can replace firewood and other forms of energy.
He said LPG is a clean form of energy with up to 20 percent less carbon and nitrogen emissions compared to wood fire. Abotseng said the gas also does not produce soot or particulate matter, making it an ideal replacement for firewood, especially at a time when the country is wrestling against deforestation.
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He said that climate change is bringing prolonged heat waves to Botswana, with temperatures reaching the mid-40s. This, he said, necessitated a transition to cleaner energy forms such as LPG. The local industry comprises wholesalers such as Easigas, who have supply contracts with various retailers. Botswana sources most of its LPG from South Africa.
