Botswana enjoys one of the maximum amount of sunshine hours in the world thanks to its positioning (approx 200 days). The Tropic of Capricorn traverse the country almost halfway some 140kms north of the capital. This being said we have the potential to further develop and exploit the alternative energy source: solar energy. This save for the fact that we have one of the largest livestock numbers in terms of cattle. Australia on the other and back in 2000 had a population of 20 million against 200 million sheep. That's a lot of fat tails. he amount of bio gas that can be churned using very basic scientific setups and a little bit of help from NARFTEC is beyond comprehension. This also aided by the amount of bio waste that biodegrades in our landfills.
Case in point is why then are we not harnessing the apparent advantage of solar energy? Are we that reliant on fossil fuel more especially coal as we have it in abundance along the north eastern part of the country? Also what is so difficult to manage the resource in terms of extraction, refining and using it to power a thermal station?
Back in 1985 projections were made into the inevitable boom in population on the premise of improved standard of living, globalization, development and rural-urban migration. The projection accounted for increase in demand for water, energy as well as land. The wisest thing to have been implemented back then would have been a strategy plan to formulate concepts that can mitigate the consequences of such. Fast forward three decades later we have a semi-functional power station built on sub-standard platforms. We also have a Water project that is upgraded with a semi-functional carrier project that breaks now and then. On the issue of land crisis is a no brainer since the inefficient allocation system has pushed demand for land up carrying land prices with it.
What is left is for us to rely on our neighbors of power - mind you they are also under immense pressure to meet their demand. This takes is back : What about the hours of sunshine? Are we doing enough as a nation to tap on this? If not what is the hindrance? Where are we falling short? I cannot imagine the government engaging an external consultant to come and recommend how to use the sunshine hours to our benefit.
In the meantime I have placed an order for Tesla power-wall and agreed with my wife that our house will have solar panel roofing.
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