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Botswana seeks partners for

$2.5bn coal-to-liquid plant in

wake of Europe’s energy crisis

BOTSWANA BOTSWANA is looking to find funding part- a common argument in Africa against foreign
ners for a $2.5bn plant to produce synthetic fuels financiers who shun funding for projects that
from coal, a plan rekindled by the energy crisis involve fossil fuels even though the continent is
playing out in Europe, according to Minerals and only responsible for about 3% of global green-
Energy Minister Lefoko Moagi. house gas emissions.
The southern African nation has for nearly The government first planned to own the
a decade discussed tapping its extensive coal plant entirely but decided to invite private part-
resources to produce fuels to displace costly ners after the project was prioritised in order
imports, Bloomberg reports. That would fol- to grow the economy. Botswana, the world’s
low the example of neighbouring South Africa, second-biggest producer of diamonds, plans to
which developed coal-to-liquids technology increase its energy mix to almost 40% renewa-
through Sasol. bles by 2036.
Botswana’s efforts to realise the project have While seeking investors for the coal-to-liq-
accelerated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, uids project, the government will start a national
the news agency writes. energy usage study on November 1 to identify
“Look at Europe, who are sending vessels areas for off-grid renewable energy sources, such
coming down to Africa to get coal,” Moagi said in as solar and biogas, the minister said.
an interview. According to the minister, a quick Meanwhile, Sasol is searching for natural-gas
transition away from fossil fuel isn’t practical as supplies to replace the coal it uses to produce
many people’s livelihoods depend on it. fuels in an effort to lower the company’s envi-
“You have to balance between cleaner tech- ronmental footprint, writes the media agency.
nologies, between ensuring that the carbon Sasol’s Secunda complex in Mpumalanga
emissions are reduced but it can’t just be a clean province of South Africa is the largest coal lique-
sweep.” faction plant and one of the largest single emit-
According to Bloomberg, this view echoes ters of greenhouse gas in the world.™

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