The Republic of Botswana in Southern Africa has one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. However, its remotely isolated rural areas pose problems to rural energy management and development because of (i) poor road links with the urban centres, and (ii) remoteness from the national electrical transmission grid. Development of renewable energy sources, therefore, has a vast potential in Botswana. Solar energy, with excellent sunshine of over 3300 hrs per year, is of paramount importance, the applications of which are already quite significant and are growing at a steady rate. Use of solar energy is incorporated in the National Energy Master Plan, and it has contributed to almost all aspects of development in rural as well as urban areas. They include solar water heating for domestic and commercial uses, solar desalination to provide potable water, passive solar buildings, photovoltaic devices for lighting, water pumping, refrigeration, communication and fence electrification. This paper reviews various applications of solar energy and their contribution to development in Botswana and discusses future prospects of solar energy in Botswana.
