Ministry of Energy and Meteorology Department of Energy Background - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ministry of Energy and Meteorology

Department of Energy

Background

• Lesotho energy balance dominated by biomass, followed by

petroleum and then electricity.

Current situation

• Biomass accounts to about 72% of the households energy use in a

form of wood, shrubs, cow dung and crop residues

Current situation

• Peak demand 160MW – country generates 72MW
• Electricity only accounts for 7% of energy demand
• Despite enormous work done in last few years access still at 38%

nationally, 67% urban, 21% peri urban and 12% rural (2016 censors)

• Only 2% of the households use solar ( 2016 censors and 2018 HECS)
• LREBRE project
• Individual connections

Policy Framework development

• The department developed Energy Policy 2015 – 2025 which has

been approved by the Cabinet

• Policy goals – framework
• Ensuring sercurity of supply
• Contribute towards improvement of livelihoods
• Contribute towards economic growth and investment
• Contribute towards the protection of environment

Policy (cont’d)

• Specific policy statement on renewable
• The government will ensure sustainable supply of bioenergy resources
• The government will improve access to renewable energy services and

technologies

• Strategies
• Improve conservation measures, energy management as well as sustainable

use of bioenergy resources

• Promote the application of renewable energy technologies to income

generating activities

• Develop renewable energy programme to support fuel subsititutionin

different demand sectors

Current policy implementation initiatives

• Recently developed Electrification Master Plan (EMP);
• grid expansion and
• off grid electrification ( stand alone home and mini-grids )
• EU support - four companies funded to build energy hubs which will promote

use of renewable energies in the rural areas

• GEF/ UNDP support : set up pilot schemes for mini-grids
• Ten communities in remote rural areas have been identified for these pilot
• Ten areas for establishment of renewable energy business centres identified
• Under FOCAC, the Government is in the process of developing 70 MW solar

generation plant.

• To be implemented in two phases – 30MW ph1 and 40MW ph2
• SREP support– construct a hybrid mini grid

Institutional Arrangement

• Department of Energy – there is a need to restructure the

department in order to do its coordination

• REU – this unit has to be transformed to an agency that that will deal

with off grid electrification

• LEC – grid extension to rural arears where consumption is very low

and hence the utility is running at the loss

• LEWA – it only regulates the utility but not off grid
• No off grid regulatory frameworks
• Private sector – weak participation in the energy sector

Thank you