Policy perspectives on expanding cogeneration from bagasse in Malawi

Authors

  • Long Seng To University College London http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4676-5810
  • Kingdom Kwapata Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Leonard Masala Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Virginia Alonso Navarro University College London
  • Simon Batchelor Gamos Ltd.
  • Yacob Mulugetta University College London
  • Andrew Barnett The Policy Practice Ltd
  • Stephen Karekezi AFREPREN/FWD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3051/2017/v28i1a1420

Keywords:

biomass, renewable energy, sugar, electricity

Abstract

Agro-industries have the potential to make a substantial contribution to sustainable energy supply in Africa, including energy access in rural areas. This paper focuses on the drivers and barriers to wider use of cogeneration from sugarcane bagasse in Malawi as there is a potential for the technology to enable access to electricity in rural areas. The paper gives an overview of the policy landscape for the energy sector and the sugar industry in Malawi. The research involved site visits, focus group discussions, and individual semi-structured interviews with participants from key government departments, businesses, research institutes and international agencies. It was found that energy sector reform, the proposed feed-in tariff for renewable energy, and risk are the key issues for investment in this area.

Keywords: biomass, renewable energy, electricity

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Author Biographies

Long Seng To, University College London

Research Fellow, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy

Yacob Mulugetta, University College London

Professor, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering & Public Policy

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Published

2017-03-23

How to Cite

To, L. S., Kwapata, K., Masala, L., Alonso Navarro, V., Batchelor, S., Mulugetta, Y., … Karekezi, S. (2017). Policy perspectives on expanding cogeneration from bagasse in Malawi. Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, 28(1), 45–53. https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3051/2017/v28i1a1420