The main objective of the study was to provide the quantitative and qualitative information which would enable the Government of Botswana to take the steps necessary, at an early stage, for developing and managing future energy resources so that:
- changing demand patterns are met;
- no undue societal and/or environmental damage takes place in the process.
To achieve this end, the following key tasks were identified:
i) Rural energy demand assessment- To assess current rural energy demand patterns on a regional basis, by sector and fuel type.- To investigate the economic, sociological, cultural and other factors influencing these patterns.
- To make forecasts of rural energy demand, over the next 25 years, and to compare them with currently available data relating to urban demand.
- To consider the potential for substitution of traditional fuels with renewable energy technologies and mains electricity.
ii) Indigenous energy resource assessment
- To assess on a regional basis, the indigenous biomass resources and to estimate rates of removals and biomass regeneration (in terms of mean annual increments).- To assess potential contribution of renewal energy sources in the rural area.
- To review rural energy prices.
iii) Analysis of demand/supply balance and options for development
- By considering forecast woodfuel supply and demand, on a regional basis, to pinpoint current and possible future problem areas.- To identify and analyse a range of development options over different time scales, designed to solve currently identified supply/demand imbalances and to avoid potentially more critical situations developing in the future.
- To evaluate these options in relation to their potential contribution to solving the most urgent problems and their economic, social and institutional feasibility.
- To recommend an Action Plan to implement such options, which incorporates any necessary institutional reorganisation and also advises on future research to be undertaken.
