A different approach is needed to unlock 100% electricity access across Africa, participants in the closing panel at the recent Power-Gen Africa conference argued. In fact, the strong message to emerge was that there was no more time for discussion, no more time for political wrangling and no more time to rely on the traditional models.

“We have to change gear. The 650- million figure [of Africans without electricity] is not moving – something is wrong,” South African Presidency energy adviser Silas Zimu told delegates. “If there is any continent that still has to be developed that can help the whole world, it’s Africa. But it cannot be developed if it does not have electricity.”

Zimu believes that distributed power, for example, could be the answer in light of South Africa’s own previous challenges with load-shedding.

He explained that it was a drastically differentenvironment in South Africa, compared with 1992, when “energy future discussions” started.

“People are aware the term ‘monopoly’ means nothing anymore,” Zimu commented, highlighting the fear that people would go off-grid and no longer rely on the national grid, effectively shaving off 70% of State-owned power utility Eskom’s revenue.

However, government needed to strategically deploy distributed power plants, ensuring that Eskom and municipalities took distributed generation to the customer and linked this to current rates and taxes for sustainability.

“If things go as they are going, we won’t have an Eskom in 20 years.”

“An aggressive approach is required. We can no longer rely on the traditional approach,” added Botswana Power Corporation CEO Stefan Schwarzfischer.

The Botswana State utility, previously plagued with serious challenges in a country where extensive areas were still not electrified, made some progress in the past few years. Botswana is currently deeply interconnected and reliant on other countries for the power.

The country is following the centralised and decentralised routes as it progresses its energy plans.

“Technology is not the issue. We have all the technology we need to develop [energy in] Southern Africa,” he explained, adding that Botswana had failed in the past, owing to its problematic business model.

“We need to turn that around.”

Recently, some 34 rural villages were electrified, with another 60 under review for electrification by year-end.

Schwarzfischer also pointed to several pilot projects involving multiple remote villages whose residents believe it is “no use” connecting to the national grid, as a result of which solar-based solutions have been piloted at 20 villages and the initative is expected to be concluded in 2018.

One village has been earmarked to become Botswana’s first green village, ridding the region of excessive diesel use and introducing solar energy.

Another 12 villages have been identified to be equipped with solar for decentralised power supply.

The country is also reviewing possibilities for energy storage, as well as the roll-out of other projects, including a 100 MW solar power plant.