Botswana Eyes RE Feed-in Tariff

A South African-based energy consultancy is currently studying the possibility of a renewable energy feed-in tariff (Refit) system to be implemented in Botswana to strengthen power generation investment. Camco’s six-month development study, commissioned by the Department of Energy Affairs under the Ministry of Minerals, Energy, and Water Resources, began at the end of June and is expected to be complete before the end of 2010.

At a first shareholders consultation workshop on the refit on August 12, Camco’s South Africa Managing Director Jonathan Curren said in addition to improving the nation’s energy security, renewable energy sources would also help in the mitigation of climate change. He said the initiative would also bring the private sector onboard by way of opening new market opportunities as well as increasing interest from investors.

Camco is currently reviewing policy, regulatory, and legislative framework to see how feasible a Refit system would be for the southern African country. According to Onismus Manyewe, senior consultant at Camco, the company would work on developing a tariff model for priority renewable energy technologies divided into three phases: inception, preview and situational analysis, and a technical review covering consultation, refinement, and a final report.

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