Abstract:
The paper assesses the prospects and challenges of coal-fired power exports in Botswana.
Specifically, the study analyses how supply factors, that is, resource availability; environmental
concerns; infrastructure and technology as well as demand factors are likely to affect the
development of thermal power exports in Botswana. The study concludes that coal resources
are sufficient to support exports of thermal power and that technology on coal-fired power
plants is available, reliable and mature. However, environmental concerns associated with
coal-fired power generation; the high costs of construction and maintenance of power plants;
regional demand factors, including the increasing competition from renewable sources of
energy are major factors in the feasibility of the development of coal-fired electricity exports
in Botswana.
