Exploring Energy Efficiency & Consumption Patterns In Botswana

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a primary research study conducted in 2024 to inform the implementation of the Futuristic Energy Efficiency Rating System (FEERS) in Botswana. FEERS is an IoT-based innovation that combines hardware and software to help households, businesses, and building owners track and understand their energy consumption patterns. Beyond monitoring, FEERS quantifies wasted energy, translates it into monetary terms (opportunity cost), and provides tailored recommendations on how to reduce consumption. Moreover, through data analytics and sustainability-focused tips, FEERS enables users to reduce electricity waste, cut costs, and ultimately contribute to Botswana’s climate action by lowering greenhouse gas emissions and thus aligning with the global goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The FEERS journey began in October 2023 where FEERS was recognized internationally as one of the winning innovations in the energy category, securing USD 18,000 in seed funding to pilot and implement the project in Botswana. Mooiman et al., (2016) suggests that, before starting any national efficiency initiative, it is key to understand the supply and consumption of energy within that country, hence the implementation of FEERS kick-started with research as the foundational stage in April 2024 aiming to understand the energy efficiency state and energy consumption patterns of the people and industries in Botswana.

This research targeted three key stakeholders, namely, the Department of Energy (Ministry of Minerals & Energy), Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) and Botswana Power Corporation (BPC). The key Findings of the research revealed that Botswana’s energy efficiency is currently low, with progress largely attributed to incremental technology adoption rather than systemic policy interventions. Also, BERA and the Department of Energy acknowledged the importance of MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standards), appliance labeling, and retrofitting programs, but cited resource constraints as barriers. The inconsistency in Institutional cooperation similarly highlighted a challenge in sectoral collaboration.Therefore, based on this research, the recommendation is that FEERS will be a timely and critical tool for providing data transparency, monitoring, and awareness that can support Botswana’s energy efficiency policies. This paper further recommends a conceptual framework that elaborates how the adoption of FEERS will intervene in the current efficiency challenges Botswana faces.