How can a country develop without reliable power? In this interview, our Staff Writter JAMES CHAVULA caught up with Community Energy Malawi director Edgar Bayani to dissect party manifestos.
Q: Tell us more about Community Energy Malawi?
A: CEM is a Malawian non-governmental organisation which helps Malawi communities generate sustainable solutions to meet their energy needs. We advocate green and inclusive energy, including off-grid solutions.
Q: As advocates, what didi you expect in party manifestos?
A: In the spirit of Sustainable Development Goals seven (SDG7), we expect plans ensure access to affordable, clean and reliable energy for all by 2030. We expected manifestos to reflect ambitious strategies to accelerate access to clean energy. Currently, just 10 percent of the population accessee the grid. The revised National Energy Policy envised the increasing to 30 percent mark by 2030. But the manifestos were supposed to state how to go beyond 30 percent. On affordability, SDG7 calls for strategies of ensuring that no one is left behind. Clean energy mainly calls for reduction of fossil energy and increased share of renewable energy in the energy mix. It laso demends reduce reliance on firewood and charcoal to lessen the suffering experienced by women and girls. On reliability, we expect plans to expand generation, distribution and transmission of electricity as well as decentralised energy solutions, including minigrids and microgrids. The manifestos were supposed to reflect national energy policies, especially Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III.
Q: So, what is your take on party manifestos?
A: Some manifestos appear to have been crafted in a hurry. All have some good promises, but many raise questions when it comes to implementation. For all parties, it seems energy is hydro, solar, wind and coal-fired power. Only United Democratic Front has plans to turn waste into energy despite a huge untapped potential in this area.
Q: Based on SDG7, how do you assess the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) manifesto?
A: DPP enjoys the advantage of the incumbency. It lays down achievements in the past five years and it is the only party that lists projects backed by feasibility studies, There are 10 energy-specific promises. We commend its promises to harness community technical colleges to train qualified technicians in renewable energy. But some promises cannot go without questions. For instance, out of 50 independent power providers that signed agreements, how many have taken off? The governing party pledges to double access to electricity to 20 percent by 2024. We will hold them accountable for this if they are re-elected. It also promises to mainstream gender and social inclussion. The promise of lifeline tariffs targeting the poor is resonates well with the Sustainable Energy for All goals. However, DPP needs to elaborate its plans to intensify Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (Marep) because the current approach favours extension of the grid and Escom remains the largest beneficiary. We have been calling for reforms in rural electrification to accommodate players deploying minigrids. DPP manifesto also makes three promises on promoting clean energy, including reducing petroleum imports in favour of bio-ethanol and biodiesels and also a shift from fuel wood to liquefied petroleum gas fro cooking. This is good, but they have not done much to eliminate known barriers to gas distribution in the country. On the downside, the mention of coal defeats the DPP nanifesto is deoresssing.
Q: And what of MCP manifesto?
A: MCP makes 12 promises, but two are repetitive. So, it has 10 promises towards universal access by 2030. The manifesto repetitively mentions SDG7 words affordable, clean and sustainable. The oldest party makes three promises on increasing access. In one statement, it promises to ensure 60 percent of the population has modern energy by 2024. In another, it brings down the target to 50 percent. This is confusing. Which one will we hold it to account for if it wins on May 21?
The manifesto also maintreams gender and social inclussion, this is commendable. On promoting clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emission, MCP promises to ensure availability of alternatives sources. We are however concerned with the inclussion of coal and increased imports of petroleum products.
The manifesto has interesting promises to increase power generation, including construction of a 2 000 megawatt (MW) dam within three years expanding power output to 5 oooMW within five to ten years.
Q: Is the 2 000mW dam possible?
A: It is possible to increase generation to 2 000mW in Malawi, but not from one dam. I have not come across any feasibility study confirming such potential on one river in Malawi. So far, literature shows that the country has over 1 500mW untapped potentail for hydropower from different feasible sites and the DPP manifesto aptly lists some of them.
Bayani: Some were done in a hurry
Q: Your analysis of UTM manifesto?
A: UTM makes 12 promises on energy and the first is to aggressively implement the 2018 National Energy Policy. This shows that they recognise the existence of national policy and the need for continuity. But we expect the party to isolate policy issues it intends to implement within five years as a yardstick for its performance.
Five promises aimed at increasing access to modern energy, including special tariffs for the poor and universal connection with cost recovery from tariffs. This is brilliant. We also like the promise to use Marep to extend electricity to remote villages, a departure from the current strategy targeting just trading centres.
We are especially happy that the manifesto recognises the potential of minigrids in increasing access and promises to speed up assessments and development of minogrids. Three promises promote clean energy, including promoting research on green energy-a rallying point for academicians and industry players in developing a green economy. But the brilliant targets go up in smoke when UTM mention coal.
UTM makes four promises on ensuring reliable power supply, including interconnections, IPPs and improved distribution systems. It also promises to speed up reforms, such as creation of single buyer unit. Here is breaking news: Escom already established this system in September 2018, a new company called Power Market Limited was incorporated to take it out of Escom. Lastly, UTM promises to improve efficiency at Escom are made worse by corruption and inefficiencies.
Q:What about United Democratic Front?
A: UDF manifesto puts energy together with mining, but there are six energy-specific promises. To increase access, the party promises regulatory reforms to allow microgrids and ensure that people pay a fair price. The mention of microgrids to decentralise energy is pleasing to us. But Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) already introduced mini-grid regulatory framework. UDF makes five promises on increase generation and transmission capacity. It also promises to look into battery technologies, the primary power storage for slar installations.
It is also pleasing that the party promises to break the retrogressive monopoly of Escom to promote regulated competition. We would have however loved to see more promises on reducing fossils energy and how best to reduce the hardship caused by cooking using firewood and charcoal.
Source: The Nation_Political Governance Index_May 15, 2019_by James Chavula